The Detective Story in the Thirties
by imabookworm815
Summary: 1933, DC. Temperance Brennan is turned down as an Anthropologist because she is a woman. Her last chance to work in a lab is at the United States Bureau of Investigation. Instead she ends up the secretary of Special Agent Seeley Booth. Please Review.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Washington D.C., 1933

Dr. Temperance Brennan walked along Constitution Avenue looking for the Department of Justice offices. She had just come from the Jeffersonian Institute to apply for a job with their famous forensic anthropologist Dr. Hrdlika, The old misogynist had laughed at her and said in his thick German accent, "Young lady, even if you did understand what I do, there's no way you'd be able to keep your lunch". Her last chance to work at identifying bodies was to work in the United States Bureau of Investigation Technical Laboratory. She had thought that an institution of science would accept because of her love of science, not reject her because she had breasts. Taking a deep breath, Temperance walked in and asked the receptionist for directions to the Laboratory.

Special Agent in Charge Seeley Booth was in his new office. It wasn't very big, but hey, at least he had one. The Department of Justice and the US Bureau of Investigation had to share these offices and that meant a lot of crowding and griping. At least the government was building the DOJ a bigger building, and though they would still have to share, it meant more space for them all. Suddenly, Booth heard a commotion coming from the direction of the Lab. He opened his door to the spectacle of Agent Jamie Kenton leading a young woman out of the Lab. The young woman in particular was trying to remove Kenton's hand from her arm.

"Let go of me! I can find my way out by myself!"

"Look doll, you just assaulted a federal officer, you're not going anywhere but the clinker!"

"Well maybe if your reaction time was a little quicker you wouldn't have been assaulted!"

"SHUT UP, SHREW!"

Booth knew Kenton's reputation with skirts and decided to step in before Kenton forgot where he was and actually hit the girl. Walking up to them, Booth stepped right in their path. In a low dangerous tone that dared Kenton to defy him, Booth said, "Kenton, you better unhand that young woman right now."

"What do you want with this bag, Booth?" sneered Kenton, "She assaulted me and she's gonna be locked up!"

"Fine, but I'll take her; you're too angry right now."

"Just because you got a promotion, you think you can boss me around now!"

"No, I just object to you manhandling women!"

"Well you can object all you want, _Seeley_ I'm gonna treat her the way I want to and take her to her cell." In a lower tone, he added, "And maybe I'll have some fun with her when I got her tied up."

Booth didn't even think about it, he just balled up his fist and hit Kenton in the nose.

Just then, Deputy Director Cullen walked in, "What the hell is going on here!"

Booth helped the young woman up, the damn jerk, had taken her down with him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks for..."

"Booth, I asked you a question!"

"Kenton was being disrespectful about this young woman, and I decided to teach him to not pick on women"

"You hit him because he said something disrespectful about a girl?"

"No sir, he was also manhandling her."

"Young lady, why was Kenton manhandling you?"

"I came here looking for a job, and he intercepted me and told me that I wasn't in the HR department, and he grabbed my arm and put his hand on my back, so I punched him in the jaw. I don't like to be touched. Then he got even rougher with me and said I had just assaulted a federal officer. And then that was when this man stepped in."

Booth looked down at Kenton and saw that the girl had left a mark on the underside of his jaw.

"So Booth, your knight-in-shining-armor complex kicked in and you just had to save her."

"If you say so, Sir."

"Well, Booth it doesn't matter, she's got to be locked up for assault."

"No offense, Sir, but do you really think that's a good idea. I mean, she could sell her story to the newspapers and how would that look, young women coming in to look for jobs, then they get touched inappropriately by agents, and when they defend themselves they get arrested. Very bad publicity for the Bureau, Sir."

"Well, what do you suggest then, Booth?" said Cullen in an exasperated voice.

"Well Sir, you should probably give her a job."

"That's an excellent idea, Booth, she can be your secretary, and even better she'll follow you on crime scene investigations, to make sure your reports are legible." and he walked away before Booth could open his mouth.

Temperance was horrified, she couldn't be a secretary, she was a doctor, for goodness sake.

Booth signaled for the girl to follow him to his office. Leaving Kenton unconscious on the floor, they walked silently to Booth's office. When they reached the office, he sat down and motioned for her to sit on the other side of his desk.

"I don't even know your name."

"My name's Temperance Brennan, but I can't be your secretary, I was looking for work in the Laboratory."

Booth looked at her in wonder, "You mean you want to work with squints and stiffs?"

"I don't know what that means."

" You know, nerds and dead bodies."

" Oh, then yes."

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this but the squints wouldn't dream of letting a woman in the Lab, if you really need a job then you should take the job as my secretary. Not that I really need one, but Cullen's my boss and I gotta do what he says, even if it means taking you out in the field."

The field sounded interesting to Temperance, "Why does he want me to go to crime scenes with you, that doesn't sound like normal secretary work?"

"To punish me for manipulating him. So, do you want the job?"

Temperance thought about it, should she take a job that was beneath her just because it was remotely related to what she wanted to do? She had promised herself that this was the last month she was taken her parents' money, and if she wanted them to retire from their life of crime, she needed a job. Besides, maybe she could convince this man to help her get a job in the lab, he did seem to have some pull, in addition to a soft spot for women. All she would have to do is ask her roommate Angela for a few tips in manipulating men, it couldn't be too hard to learn. Looking at his nameplate, she held out her hand, and said, " Well Agent Seeley Booth, it looks like you've got yourself a secretary."

"Just call me Booth, and you start tomorrow."

As she walked from his office, Booth had the feeling that trouble had just entered his life.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Temperance hurried home to share her news with Angela before she left for her date. Unlike herself, Angela understood men and often had them eating out of her hand. If anyone could teach her about working in an office that was predominantly male, it was Angela. As Temperance opened the door to their apartment, Angela practically tackled her, "Sweetie, how did it go? Did you get a job? Tell me everything!"

"Don't you have a date tonight?"

"Sweetie, you're more important than any date. And besides it's better to be fashionably late."

"Oh no, Angela you can't be late because of me."

"Fine, I'll get ready and you can tell me all about your day."

Temperance then proceeded to tell Angela everything, from the awful Dr. Hrdlika, to the even more heinous Agent Kenton, and finally she got to Agent Booth and her plan to convince him to help her get a job in the Lab.

"Oh Sweetie, I'm so sorry you have to settle for being a secretary, but I don't think I can teach you feminine wiles."

"No, Angela, not feminine wiles, just teach me how to convince him to help me."

"Well, first of all, I think he'll probably help you anyway."

"Why do you say that?"

"He rescued you today, didn't he? And then he got a job, sure it was as a secretary, but still."

"That just proves he's a traditional man and probably believes that women should only be wives and mothers and not involve themselves in ugly things like homicide."

"It doesn't matter, I still don't think I should teach you feminine wiles, you should just be yourself, I don't want you to change. Just give him time, I'm sure he'll fall in love with you and end up helping you"

"I don't believe that it would change me that much and you always think one man or another will fall for me."

Just then someone knocked, and Temperance went to let Angela's date in, while Angela made some finishing touches. Tonight's lucky man was Tommy, a jazz singer, Temperance didn't know where, but then again she didn't know much about nightclubs. Angela came out looking ravishing as always and she and Tommy left for the night. Temperance decided to turn in early, she would have to be at work early tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Booth went home later than usual, getting that promotion also meant more paperwork. Pops and Parker had already sat down to dinner.

"Hiya Pops, what's for dinner?"

"Hey, shrimp, thank goodness you're here, I thought I was going to have to wash dishes again. Parker wasn't very hungry so I made tomato soup and grilled cheese."

Parker seemed very quiet during dinner, and while he normally asked for seconds, this time he asked to be excused as soon as he was finished. Booth followed him to his room.

"Parker, is something bothering you? Are you sick?"

"Nah, I'm good, Dad."

"Are you sure? You didn't eat very much today."

"I just wasn't hungry."

"Well okay, Parker but if something is ever bothering you, you can always talk to me."

Booth got up to leave and just when he was at the door, Parker called him back.

"Dad, did you know that Sally's dad lost his job?"

"No, Parker I didn't know."

"And a lot of kids' dads have been moving to look for jobs."

"Parker, are you worried about money?"

" It's just that Mom came to visit today, and she told me that she wanted me to move in with her, she says her boyfriend Jimmy has a lot of money. She said you couldn't afford to keep me and Pops. But I don't want to leave you and Pops."

"So that's why you didn't eat much. Look, your mom's mistaken, I just got a promotion, and I could afford to keep you and Pops before, I can definitely afford you guys now. So, are you still hungry, 'cause Pops has got your favorite cookies tonight."

After Parker had finished his milk and cookies and had gone to bed, Pops and Booth stayed up talking.

"I didn't know that Rebecca had told the boy that. You know what, what you told me about Rebecca's boyfriend reminded me of something I heard. You don't think she's going out with Jimmy Cugini, do you?"

"Jimmy Cugini? No way am I letting Parker anywhere near the guy. I knew Rebecca was a gold-digger but I never thought she was stupid enough to date a gangster."

"Well, she was stupid enough to leave you, Shrimp, so she can't be very smart."

"Well, tomorrow at work I'm gonna find out if Rebecca really is Cugini's moll, and if she is, well as much as I'd hate to do this to Parker, I'm not gonna let her see him again."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next day Temperance woke up early and dressed in one of her best day dresses and arrived at work at 8 o' clock, she walked over to the receptionist to get a pass.

"Good Morning" said the receptionist, a svelte woman with beautiful blonde hair, "What can I help you with today?"

"Good Morning" said Temperance, "Today's my first day of work and.."

"Oh, then you're gonna need an ID card, I'll fill one out for you and then you go to HR down the stairs and ask them to take your picture. My name's Pam Noonan by the way." The receptionist then got a pen and a card from one of her drawers and asked her name, position, and when she found out she was a secretary she asked whose secretary she was.

"I'm going to be working with Agent Booth."

Suddenly, a frost seemed to come over Pam Noonan. "Who did you say were working for?"

"Agent Booth."

"Well, aren't you lucky?" she said in a cheery voice that even Temperance could tell was fake.

Pam finished up Temperance's card and gave her directions. "You go downstairs, make a left at the first doorway, then when you've passed five doorways, you take a right and go down the hall and it's the first door you'll see."

Temperance followed her directions but she must have remembered something wrong, because when she got to the door that should have said Human Resources, it was marked as the Firing Range instead. Suddenly, a man opened the door and walked straight into her.

"Oops! Sorry! Are you okay?'

"Yeah, I'm fine I'm just a little lost. I'm supposed to be at HR."

" Wow, you really are lost, didn't Pam give you directions?"

"Yes, but they were confusing."

"I'm sorry, but what kind of job are you applying for?"

"Oh, I already got a job, as a secretary."

The young man looked at her and thought that she must have been hired because of her looks, I mean, what was so confusing about going downstairs and hanging a right? While he was thinking, Temperance also looked him over. He had black hair, wasn't very tall, and had a certain boyish charm about him.

"Well, come on then, I'll show you the way. My name's Timothy Sullivan, but you can call me Sully."

"My name's Temperance Brennan, but you can call me Tempe."

"So, whose secretary are you gonna be?"

"Agent Booth's."

"No wonder you were lost! Pam gave you the wrong directions!"

"Why would she do that?"

"She's crazy for Booth, and she wouldn't want someone prettier than her to be his secretary. She was probably hoping to make you late."

Temperance looked at her watch, "Well, she succeeded, it's eight-thirty already. If I get fired because of her, I'll pull out her beautiful blonde hair! I really need this job! She doesn't even know if I'm interested in the guy and she decides to mess with me."

"Don't worry about being late, Booth doesn't get here until nine-thirty."

"That seems unprofessional. Why does he come in so late?"

"It's kind of personal, you should ask him. Anyway, here we are. When you come back out I'll give you a tour of the place, so you won't have to get directions from any of the other girls who are obsessed with Booth."

"Okay, thanks."

Temperance went inside and had her ID picture taken and they told her that she could pick it up tomorrow morning. Sully was waiting outside to give her the tour. He showed her around the important aspects of the building, including the handful of women who would be jealous of her for working with Booth. Towards the end of his tour he showed her the Cafeteria.

"And here we have the most important room in the entire building, the Cafeteria. There's the Cafeteria lady, Payton Perotta, she also has a crush on Booth, but she won't make trouble for you. She mostly contents herself with saving him giant slices of pie."

She looked like a friendly woman to Temperance, unlike the current fashion of stick women, Payton was curvy, probably a consequence of working in a Cafeteria. Besides a beautiful smile, Payton was average looking, she looked like she would make a good mother.

But the grand finale of the tour was the Most Wanted wall. She searched through the mass of posters covering the wall for her parents. She saw Ma Barker and her sons, John Dillinger, and Bonnie & Clyde, but she didn't see her parents. When she finally found their poster it was only because she knew their alias. She breathed a sigh of relief that the Max and Ruth Keenan on the poster bore no resemblance to Matthew and Christine Brennan. She was also relieved to find that while the poster declared her father to be a con man and her mother to be a safe-cracker, it didn't say they were dangerous. When she was finished looking at the posters Sully walked her to Booth's office and said that Booth should be coming along soon and that she should wait for him inside. Sully walked away thinking that he should have asked her out before she got to know Booth and fell in love with him like all the other women who worked here.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As Booth walked into the Department of Justice Building preoccupied with thoughts of his ex. Booth had thought that once him and Rebecca had divorced he would never have to worry about her again, actually now that he thought about it they still weren't legally divorced even after a year. The darn government made it so hard to get a divorce and that was even with the most airtight excuse you can give for a divorce, infidelity. Unfortunately, he had underestimated Rebecca's penchant for trouble, she was a gold-digger, that had become blatantly obvious about a month after their marriage, and on top of that she was now a gangster's girlfriend. Allegedly, Booth reminded himself, she's allegedly his girlfriend, all I have to do to make sure is talk to the guy tailing Cugini. Booth was so lost in his thoughts that he completely ignored Pam's customary overly friendly greeting. Even worse, he forgot about his new secretary, so he was surprised to see her when he walked into his office.

"What are you doing here?" asked Booth, not really looking at Temperance.

"I'm your new secretary." said Temperance, thinking that her new boss must be a little slow.

"Oh, right, sorry I'm just a little preoccupied. You haven't been waiting for me long have you?"

"Um, I got here at eight."

"Sorry" Booth winced, "I must have forgot to tell you, you don't need to get here until nine-thirty. I have to drop my kid off at school in the mornings." He flashed her his best charm smile.

Temperance totally ignored it, "Shouldn't your wife do that?", realizing too late that the question was maybe a tad impertinent. Great, Temperance! That should really make him want to help you, poke into his private life why don't you. While blessed with intelligence, she was not similarly endowed when it came to social graces.

Booth's smile disappeared from his face as Rebecca once again intruded on his thoughts. Thinking that it would be better to set her to work as soon as possible so that he could find out about Rebecca and Cugini, he said a tad curtly, "Well, Miss Brennan, here's the case files I was working on last night, they need to be typed up. I need to check in on a case so I'll be back later."

Temperance took the large pile of folders from him and asked him, "Where should I sit?"

Booth was already halfway out the door, "Just sit at my desk and use the typewriter, and don't leave this office until I come back to show you around."

"But I..."

"No, just stay here." and he briskly left the room before she could argue.

"I've already had the tour." she finished in a defeated voice. Well, I guess I better start, she thought, men's handwriting is always the worst. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find that while he was never going to win any awards for penmanship, she could actually decipher it.

Booth headed over to Charlie's cubicle to ask who had the Cugini case. Charlie was a chubby man who while he would never become Agent of the year, knew everything that went on in the Bureau, and if he didn't know it, he knew how to find out about it.

"Hey Chuck, do you know who has the Cugini case?"

"Yeah, that's Kenton's case, why?"

"Just curious." Booth left Charlie and headed over to his office, Kenton is not going to be very cooperative not after that crooked nose I gave him. Just as he was about to open the door he remembered that the reason for that crooked nose was inside typing up his case files. I might as well get used to her being here he thought as he walked in.

"Back so soon?"

"Yeah, I got to wait until I can find out more about the case I'm working on." Suddenly a thought occurred to him, "And I'm going to need your help."

Temperance got very excited, he was involving her in a case! "Of course I'll help."

"Okay, we just have to wait until Kenton leaves for lunch."

"Why?"

"Cause I need some information from him and me and him aren't exactly best friends right now."

Temperance had the grace to look embarrassed, "So how are you gonna get it?"

"I'm going to break into his filing cabinet."

"Couldn't you get in trouble for that?"

"Yeah, that's why you're gonna be my lookout."

Just when Temperance was about to object that this was her first day on the job and she didn't want to get in any trouble, she remembered that she owed him, not to mention the fact that she wanted him on her side. "No problem, Agent Booth."

"Just Booth is fine."

While they were waiting for lunch time to come around, Booth went through his own files and organized them for Temperance to type them down. Booth's office could barely accommodate a big man like himself and his filing cabinets and desk made for very close quarters. Both were hyperaware of the other's presence, Temperance could smell Booth, unlike most men he didn't were cologne, he just smelled of soap and laundry, and somehow she thought that was better than cologne. On the other side of the desk, Booth could also smell Temperance, she smelled feminine, but not in the way all the other women he knew smelled, it was a light clean smell, not flowery in any way. However, both attributed their reactions to their respective dry spells. Finally, twelve o' clock rolled around, Booth opened his door and saw that almost everyone was gone. He went around to his desk and opened the top drawer on Temperance's right. "What are you doing?" she asked, slightly alarmed at his proximity.

"Just getting my tools." he said, holding up a leather pouch that Temperance assumed held lock picks. "Come on"

Temperance followed him from the office as he led the way to Kenton's cubicle. When they got there he got down on one knee in front of the small filing cabinet where Kenton kept his files and started picking the lock. "Just stand there and tell me if anyone's coming." He had the cabinet open in less than five seconds.

"What if Kenton comes back early?"

"He won't, he's the first one to leave and the last one to come back. Always." said Booth as he searched for the Cugini file. He found it and scanned it for any mention of Rebecca, if she was dating him it would show up in the file, as much as he loathed Kenton he had to admit that the man did a thorough job. There, just what he was looking for, Rebecca was dating Cugini, and Kenton had written in some snarky comment about Booth being a poor bastard. Booth put the file back and was closing the cabinet when out of nowhere, his secretary hauled him up by the lapels on his suit pushed him up against a wall and crashed her lips into his. Shocked, Booth didn't have a chance to respond to her kiss.

"Agent Booth, can I see you in my office." thundered Deputy Director Cullen.

Booth pushed Temperance off of him and said, "Yes sir, right away."

As he followed Cullen, Booth cursed his new secretary, obviously she had seen Cullen and panicked. Although, how her mind had jumped to kissing him he had no idea. Once inside his office, Cullen sat at his desk and gave Booth a big smile. "Now you are of course aware that the Bureau doesn't approve of office relationships..."

"Sir, let me explain."

"Now, now Booth let me finish. As I was saying I don't usually approve of office relationships. That sordid relationship between AD Hacker and his secretary brought scandal to the Bureau. However, you are not married and what's more you're divorced, which as you know severely hinders your possibilities of moving up in the Bureau. So I think it's in your best interests to get remarried. I like you Booth, so I'm gonna help you out and keep your relationship a secret, I advise you to do the same. I knew hiring that girl as your secretary was a good idea. You may go now."

During this entire monologue, Booth had kept a stunned silence. However, at the end he realized that if Cullen had supplied his own explanation, who was Booth to argue. It's not as if Cullen was going to be spreading this around. So Booth thanked Cullen for his understanding and left the office.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks for the response on this story guys. I'm glad you like the concept especially since some of you say you don't like AU. I'm relatively new to fanfiction in general so I appreciate any comments you may have. **

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Chapter 6

While Booth was opening the file cabinet Temperance was watching to make sure that nobody was coming. Then from the direction of the cafeteria she saw Cullen approaching. Don't come near here, she thought, please don't come near here. Apparently, the universe was in no mood to appease her as Cullen continued to walk towards them. So she did the only thing she could think of doing, she hauled Booth up and kissed him. He tasted of mint, and for just a second, her mind went blank, as her body became aware of his masculinity.

"Agent Booth, can I see you in my office." she heard as if from a distance.

Once Booth had disentangled himself from her she realized that kissing him in front of Cullen was probably not the best idea that had ever occurred to her. She started to walk back to the office and was asking herself why she had panicked like that. If she was really honest with herself she would admit that she had been curious about what it would be like to kiss the agent. But then her rational mind took over and supplied something about biological imperatives. As she approached the office she saw that a petite blonde with a very revealing dress was standing in front of the door shooting daggers at her with her eyes.

"Who the heck are you? And why were you kissing Seeley, you little hussy!"

"I'm his secretary and it's not what you think."

"Oh, I'm so sure! Can't you be more creative, or is it Seeley whose being unimaginative? Messing around with his secretary. Well let me tell you something, bitch, you better start looking for a new job because Seeley's mine and he always will be! I'm his wife! You got that, slut!"

It was the name calling that did it. Temperance had always hated derogatory words that applied only to women. So she pulled out the only ammunition she had on this woman.

"Some wife you are, can't even bother to take your kid to school. What's the matter is it too hard to get your lazy ass out of bed in the morning? Maybe your Seeley wants a woman who isn't a shrew!"

"Well, if I'm such a shrew, why would Seeley be coming back to me? I know what he likes and no other woman is gonna be able to have him. You got that!"

"You don't deserve him!" Temperance yelled, wondering if it were true. She didn't know anything about the man, but he seemed like a nice man and no nice man deserved this woman.

Neither woman had noticed Booth walking towards his office. "Rebecca, fancy seeing you here. Shouldn't you be out emptying the wallet of some other sucker?"

"Seeley, tell your secretary to leave us alone, we have to talk."

"First of all you're the one that involved Miss Brennan. And second of all I have no desire to talk to you."

"She was kissing you Seeley, I got jealous!" she said with a pout

"It's no longer your business who I'm kissing, remember. So if you don't mind I'd really rather have you leave."

"Look I came here to talk about Parker. That old geezer wouldn't let me see him."

"That's right. I know who you're dating and because of that you can't see Parker anymore."

"How is it your business who I date?'

"Cause I know you're dating Cugini and I know you've been trying to convince Parker to move in with you and that's never gonna happen!"

"That's just a rumor, you can't believe everything you hear on the street."

"I checked it out Rebecca, I know it's true, now leave before I call someone to kick you out."

Rebecca left in a huff but not before shouting, "See you around slut!"

Just then Booth realized that his secretary had been there for the whole exchange between him and Rebecca. Talk about drama.

"Heck of a first day, huh?"

"It's definitely been interesting."

"Come on, let's go to lunch and I'll explain everything. And then after wards I'll take you on a tour of the place."

"Oh, I've been meaning to tell you I met an Agent Sullivan and he already showed me around."

"Ok, then just lunch, they have the best pie, and the biggest slices of any place I've ever been to."

Temperance smirked remembering the lunch lady's method of wooing, "I don't like my fruit cooked."

"Fine. No pie, can we just go eat now?'

Later as they were eating, Booth told her about his meeting with Cullen.

"So not only does he think we're a couple, but he approves of it?"

"Yeah, he's fancying himself as matchmaker in this little farce."

"I can't believe he thinks I'm so easy that I'd fall for you in one day."

"Hey! Some women think I'm charming, and besides you were the one kissing me on the first day of the job."

Temperance winced, "Sorry about that I panicked and couldn't think of anything else to do. But I'm definitely not interested in you in that way."

Just then Sully came up to their table. "Hey Booth mind if I sit here?" he asked and sat down without waiting for an answer.

"Sure, have a seat." grumbled Booth

"How's your first day so far, Tempe?"

"Tempe?" said Booth in disgust.

"Well, what do you call her?'

"Miss Brennan." said Booth in an embarrassed tone.

"You can call me Tempe too if you want."

"Nah, I don't think that name goes with you. Let's just see what happens and who knows maybe I'll come up with a nickname for you."

Sully then began to monopolize the entire conversation, and to brag about different cases he had worked. He must really like her, mused Booth, but why can't he woo her some other time? Booth was extremely bored and kept going back for more pie. When it was finally time to go back to work Booth had to extricate Temperance from Sully's attentions, although she didn't seem to have any problem with them. As they were walking back to the office Sully called her back and when she turned back, Booth stayed and watched the conversation. Since he couldn't hear anything he had to rely on his lip reading skills. From what he could tell, either Sully asked her to go to dinner and out dancing, or he was admitting that he was a sinner who enjoyed prancing. When Temperance came back, he thought about asking her if she liked Sully but then decided that it was none of his business if she wanted to go out with the Peter Pan of special agents. Almost as soon as they had closed the door of Booth's office Charlie came in and told them about a case.

"Booth you got a case, some people were moving into a house and were poking around in some trunks that had been left in the attic."

"Let me guess" interrupted Booth, "there was a body in one of them."

"It was a skeleton actually."

Temperance's interest was piqued, it wasn't often murder victims were skeletonized. People tended to notice the smell of decomposition.

"Well come on, I guess I have to take you. The nerve of Cullen saying that I need you to keep my reports legible."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Just as they were leaving Booth's floor, a short curly haired man called out to Booth. "Hey Booth, wait for me!" Booth kept walking, and told Temperance to walk faster.

"Hey, why didn't you wait for me? And who's the fuss?'

"You didn't use that word properly, a fuss is an action not a person.", corrected Temperance.

"No, he means you. A fuss is a girl who's always hanging around a guy. And Miss Brennan is my secretary, who, because I pissed off Cullen, now goes with me to crime scenes. So what did you want to talk to me about Hodgins?"

"Oh, I'm going with you to the crime scene, cause no matter how many times I tell you how to do it, you never manage to collect samples properly."

"Great, first secretaries and now squints! Should I wait for the cafeteria lady, maybe she wants to give me pointers on how to question witnesses?"

"No, I think Payton is busy baking some more pies." said Hodgins, "For some reason she ran out of it at lunch today."

"Everyone's a comedian." said Booth as he turned his back on Hodgins and continued walking toward the elevators.

As Temperance and Hodgins followed him, Hodgins stuck out his hand and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Dr. Hodgins, the resident entomologist."

"I'm Temperance, do you think there are going to be insects on the victim? That would explain why the remains were skeletonized."

"You know what an entomologist is? And you're not grossed out by it?"

"Of course I know what an entomologist is, I'm an anthropologist."

"I thought you were a secretary.", said a very puzzled Hodgins.

At this point they had caught up with Booth and all three got in the elevator.

As it was obvious that Booth was still a little annoyed they stopped talking until after they had gotten off the elevator and found Booth's car in the garage.

"I call shotgun!" shouted Hodgins.

However, Temperance thought that he meant that he wanted Booth to give him an actual shotgun and sat in the front seat.

"Hey!" complained Hodgins.

"Too bad, Hodgins, you know what they say, ladies first."

"Isn't chivalry supposed to be dead?"

"Just get in, Bugman."

As they were driving thorough D.C., Temperance and Hodgins were talking about their respective educational backgrounds and new forensic techniques. It was driving Booth crazy, they weren't even talking English, once in a while they would say something in Latin and Booth would recognize it, but most of it was gibberish to him. Booth finally couldn't take it anymore, "I wouldn't believe it if I weren't hearing it but you really are a squint."

"You mean nerd, right? Because I was called a nerd plenty of times in school, but I've never heard of a squint before." asked Temperance.

"Yeah, he calls us that because he says we're always squinting at something."

"Never mind about that, we're here." said Booth in relief.

They pulled up to a house that looked like it would need a good year's worth of work before it was livable.

"They were moving into this dump? It looks like the skeleton in the attic is the least of their problems." said Hodgins.

"Hey, not all of us can be the heirs to massive companies." retorted Booth.

"For your information, since the Stock Market Crash, the company has been reduced to one factory."

"Boo Hoo."

"Can you two hurry up and get out of the car? I want to examine the skeleton!"

"First of all, you can't examine anything, you're just here to write down my notes, remember?" said Booth as they walked up to the front door. The lady of the house opened the door and pointed them to the stairs, and returned to doing the neighborhood's laundry. Once, when she was a newlywed, she would have indulged in hysterics if she had found a skeleton in her attic, however, now she had twelve kids and her time was better spent helping her husband bring home the bacon, or rather, cabbage and cauliflower, as bacon hadn't been seen in her house since 1929.

Her husband was waiting for them at the base of the stairs to tell them about the discovery of the remains, "We just moved into this place this week, and we hadn't really checked out the attic yet. Anyway, the kids decided to play hide and seek and one of my younger boys came up here to hide in one of the trunks. He opened this one and got a good scare. Good thing too, if he had hidden in one of them he could have been forgotten and he would have been the skeleton."

"You would forget your son?" asked Temperance horrified.

"Twelve kids, miss." said the man bashfully.

As soon as they entered the attic, Hodgins began looking for signs of any insect activity and Booth began taking pictures of the scene and dictating his notes to Temperance. Finally, he moved toward the trunk and Temperance could examine the body over his shoulder. Unfortunately, she could not see the entire skeleton as it was still wearing clothes. However, she could see the skull and even from over Booth's shoulder she could see that the ethmoid was shattered, indicating trauma. She turned to a new page in her notebook to write down her observations on the skeleton.

Booth looked at the skeleton but he couldn't see anything that indicated murder, but then again, it's not like you put Grandpa Walt in a trunk when he keels over, so it must be murder. As he had gotten as much as he could from looking at the skeleton he decided to go downstairs and question the kids. However, he soon noticed that his secretary was not following him, she was, in fact, still by the trunk, scribbling. So he called out to her and yet she didn't answer, she seemed mesmerized by the bones. Finally, he just walked up to her and said "Having fun with the bones?"

Temperance didn't hear anything except the word "bones", "Did you just call me Bones?"

"No, but I think I will, since you apparently don't answer to Miss Brennan or even Temperance. What are you doing?"

"I'm taking notes on the skeleton, from what I can see, it was definitely a murder."

Booth was puzzled, "How do you know? There are no broken bones that I can see."

"Well, you have to know where to look. See the skull, inside there, behind the nasal opening there should be a bone called an ethmoid. It's been shattered."

"So, he was punched in the nose?"

"Not necessarily."

"_Okay_, well, anyway, you got to come with me, I gotta question the kid who found him."

Temperance was very reluctant to leave the skeleton and Booth saw it.

"I promise you can keep looking at the bones when we get them back to the lab."

After Booth had given up on getting anything new from the family, he loaded the entire trunk into the car and set off for headquarters. Hodgins was practically ecstatic because the trunk had a multitude of different insects. When they arrived back, Booth again lifted the trunk by himself and they all piled into the elevator. Booth didn't set it down again until they reached the lab. As Booth set it down on one of the examination table, a brown-haired teenager walked up to them and said, "There better not be any of your fingerprints on that, Booth."

"Yes I am wearing my gloves, Mommy. Besides what's the big deal with your photographic memory you can tell which ones are mine."

"There are other people who match fingerprints, not just me. Who's she?' he asked pointing at Temperance.

"She's my new secretary and apparently she can read bones too."

"I'm Temperance Brennan and I should be a forensic anthropologist but instead I have to settle for being a secretary."

"I'm Zack Addy, I'm in charge of the fingerprint collection."

"Aren't you a little young to be in charge? You look like you're seventeen."

"Ouch!" said Booth and Hodgins at the same time.

"I'm twenty-three and I'm very advanced for my age." said Zack in a pained voice as if he had said this many times before.

"Right, how about we just get back to examining the evidence." said Booth.

Hodgins took his bug samples and told Zack that if he found any more in the trunk he should bring them to him. Meanwhile, Temperance began removing the skeleton from the trunk and Booth took the clothes to search for any personal items. When the trunk was empty, Zack took it to get dusted for prints. While Booth was searching through the guy's pockets, he found a woman's handkerchief with the initials "CS" in one corner. As he was examining it, he caught a whiff of a familiar perfume. What did _she_ have to do with this? He was going to have to pay her a visit and see what she knew. As he looked up at the clock, he realized it was time to go home.

"Okay Squints, time to pack it up and go home. Don't worry, it will all be here when we get back tomorrow."

Temperance was way too engrossed to go home. "I'll just stay here and keep looking at the bones."

"No way, baby. The only reason you're allowed to look at them at all, is cause I let you, I can't leave you alone with them and I got to go home and have dinner with my kid."

"Fine, I'll go home."

"Let's go then, I'll give you a ride."

"I don't need a ride."

"You can't fool me, I know you squints would stay here all night if you could. So to make sure you don't stay here, I'm going to drive you home."

Temperance reluctantly agreed to go with him and as he drove her home, he asked her about the skeleton, she admitted that she wasn't sure about cause of death and that she would need more time with it in the morning. When they arrived at her apartment building, Booth got out and opened the door for her.

"Why did you do that?"

"It was how I was raised."

"But you didn't do that this morning."

"I was going to, but you were too fast for me."

"You know I can open doors by myself."

"Yeah, but if you're with a man you shouldn't have to. So, tomorrow, please wait for me to open the doors for you."

Temperance would only concede a maybe on the subject and went inside.

Angela was waiting for her at the door and as she walked into the apartment, she pounced on her. "Sweetie, who was that gorgeous man?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As Angela listened to Temperance's explanation of who had brought her home and how she didn't really consider him to be gorgeous, Angela was thinking that her friend must have been dropped on her head at birth and had damaged the part of her brain that rated men's attractiveness.

"Really sweetie, you need to be more open to the whole dating thing. I mean not only is he completely beddable, but he's also a gentleman. Do you know how hard it is to find one of those nowadays? Besides didn't you say you wanted to use your wiles on him."

"Not any more, you were right about him, he already let me look at some remains today." Of course, thought Temperance, that could be because I kissed him. Unfortunately for Angela, Temperance kept that little piece of information to herself, as they really didn't need Mr. Edison downstairs complaining about Angela's squealing.

"Besides I am open to socializing with members of the opposite sex. I'm going out with an Agent Sullivan on Friday."

With those words Angela began to have hope for her friend's love life again. Ever since that jerk Peter had dumped Tempe she had just buried herself even deeper in her studies, it was like she was a damn ostrich. Besides if Agent Sullivan was anything like the specimen that had dropped her friend off then she could lay off on the matchmaking for a bit, and maybe focus on catching a certain g-man for herself.

"Let's not talk about my love life anymore. Did you find a job today?"

"Ugh, you know just what to say to get back at me for matchmaking. No, I couldn't find a job, and my art isn't selling either, apparently only rich people buy art and no one is rich anymore."

"I thought that the Cantilever company was your best customer, they haven't gone bankrupt too, have they?"

"No, but they have more important things to use the money for than art for the chairman's office. At this point I think I'd even take a job as a secretary."

"In case you've forgotten I'm a secretary."

"Oh sorry, honey. But you're more of a secretary in name only."

"Yeah, that's why I had to copy out my boss' reports."

"You know what I mean, you at least are close to the thing you love to do."

"I suppose."

"Meanwhile, the only way I can even afford to be your roommate is cause Dad keeps sending me the money he makes on the vaudeville circuit."

"Do you want me to keep an eye out for a job at the Bureau?"

"Sweetie that would be great. At least there whenever I get bored I'd be able to eye all those studly g-men"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

As much as Temperance wanted to get back to those bones the next day, she knew it would be better to wait and until 9:30 to arrive at the Bureau. So it was that when she was getting on the elevator Booth was getting on as well. "Good Morning, Brennan."

"Good Morning."

"I'm glad to see that you didn't decide to get an early start on those bones. And as a reward instead of going to my office we're going straight to the Lab."

"It really is in your best interest to let me examine remains. I was the top of my class, and do you know how hard that is when you're female?"

"Ugh, it's way too early in the morning for the equality of the sexes spiel."

"Philistine." muttered Temperance under her breath.

"Nope. Sorry I'm a Catholic." came the reply, along with one of his charm smiles. This time she noticed it but she was hardly amused.

As they were approaching the doors to the lab a young woman burst through them and let out a very unladylike "I QUIT!". "Not this again." sighed Booth as he opened the door for Temperance to walk in before him. She had sworn to herself that she was going to fight him on this, but right now she was more interested in finding out what had happened to make the woman run past her in tears. As Booth followed her in he practically bellowed at Hodgins and Zack.

"How is it that you two can manage to scare off employees even in the worst financial crisis in history."

"Actually, this is probably not the..." began Zack.

"I don't want to hear about it. Just tell me why you two greaseballs insist on running off every person we hire to man the dark room?"

"Look Joe, we just don't want those artistic types in our space. I mean sure they work with chemicals but that doesn't make them scientists."

"Your name is Joe? I thought it was Seeley." asked a confused Temperance.

"Yeah, No. My middle name is Joseph, but he wasn't calling me Joe."

"Yes, he was, I just heard him."

"I mean that he wasn't calling me by my name, a Joe is any guy. He could call Zack, Joe."

"Zack's middle name is Joe as well?"

"No" sighed a frustrated Booth, "I thought you were at the top of your class." He turned to Hodgins and Zack, "Don't call me Joe, and just get back to work."

Temperance decided to forget about how many Joes worked at the Bureau, and decided to see if she could get Angela the job as the dark room technician.

"My friend is an artist and she knows her way around a dark room."

"Why are you telling me? I'm not HR."

"Well, I was wondering if you could maybe put in a good word for her?"

"Nah, those two Igors would probably run her out of here in a week. One time, Hodgins actually put his precious bugs in harm's way in order to get rid of a dark room tech. He put creepy crawlies in her purse."

"Don't worry they won't dare do that to Angela."

"She's scary?"

"She's intimidating."

"Well, I do need those pictures from the crime scene as soon as possible. Okay. What's her name?"

"Angela Montenegro."

"She's a pachuca?"

"What?"

"You know, a Mexican."

"Oh, no she changed her name because it came to her in a dream."

"Yep, definitely sounds like a artist. Well, I'll call up HR and recommend her, and you tell her to get here as soon as she can. I really need those photos developed today."

Once they had their respective calls done, Temperance's took a little longer as the woman in HR hadn't squealed and started worrying about what she should wear, they got back to the business at hand. Well, truthfully Temperance was the one doing most of the work as Booth had finished his examination of the clothes last night. While he was waiting, he watched Temperance work. He noticed her look of fascination as she examined the remains, the way little wisps of auburn hair escaped their bonds and brushed her shoulders, and how her legs seemed to go on forever. As he noted that his observation had turned into ogling he snapped himself out of his reverie. Whoa, he thought, I really got to start seeing someone. And as he thought of dating he remembered the handkerchief and the woman to which it belonged. He was going to have to pay her a visit and see how she fit into his case. His thoughts then turned back to Brennan, Ugh, he thought, that is still too long of a name, shorter tha Temperance or Miss Brennan, but he preferred short nicknames. Maybe he could call her Bren?

"I'm finished examining the remains. It appears that he was struck from the back with a pistol and then shot in the chest. Presumably with the same gun."

"Thank goodness, you're done. I found a lead last night in the vic's pocket.", he said as he pulled out the handkerchief.

"And you didn't investigate? That woman could be long gone by now."

"Don't worry, I know exactly where to find her."


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hey I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. And as always, please comment so I know what I'm doing right or wrong. Thanks.**

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Chapter 10

Their destination was an office building that looked like it belonged in a detective story. Temperance wondered how Booth had known where to find the owner of the handkerchief. "Here it is." said Booth as he stopped in front of a door with a window that read "Booth Investigations". "You doing a little work on the side?" she asked.

"No, this is my brother's place."

"And he's gonna help us find this mystery woman?"

"You'll see." he said as he opened the door with a smirk.

Temperance walked in and saw that the antechamber was small, probably more of a coat closet than an antechamber.

"Hello, how may I help you?" asked a slim exotic looking woman from behind a desk that took up almost a quarter of the room.

"Yes, we're here..."

"Booth! I haven't seen you in forever!" exclaimed the woman in a very good impersonation of Angela, as she struggled to get out from behind the desk. She finally succeeded and rushed over to hug Booth.

"Is this your girlfriend? Or better yet, your fiancée?" she said as she turned to face Temperance.

"No!" shouted Temperance and Booth in unison.

The woman looked a little surprised at getting such an empathetic denial.

"She's just someone that's working a case with me." said Booth, he really didn't want to explain yet again why his secretary was following him. "Cam, meet Temperance Brennan. Brennan meet Camille Saroyan." The two women exchanged the usual civilities and Temperance wondered what was going on.

"The Bureau is finally hiring woman investigators? Maybe now your brother will actually let me investigate, instead of using me as bait for cheating husbands."

"That's actually what I came to talk to you about. Is Jared in his office?"

"Yep, not a lot of work lately."

Booth walked in to find his little brother drinking. "Put that stuff away, you know it's illegal."

"Not for much longer, if the Repeal gets passed."

"Even if it were legal, it's before noon."

"It's just fifteen minutes 'til noon."

"Seriously, you need to stop. Addiction is in our blood."

"That's ridiculous."

"Is it? I would lose entire paychecks at the tables, Dad was drunk 24 hours a day, and Pops used to go through cigars like they were chocolate bars."

"Fine, I won't drink so much. You happy?"

Booth didn't really believe him but at least he had put the bottle away.

"Come on, pull yourself together, I have to talk to you and Cam."

"Okay okay. Call her in why don't you?"

Booth looked around his brother's office, the place was a mess, Cam's space wasn't very big but she was a woman and so she kept it clean but Jared wouldn't let her even bring a duster into his office. He didn't want Brennan to see this mess and think that his brother was a lazy slob or that he was anything like this.

"No, I brought someone with me and trust me you don't want them to see this pigsty."

"Fine, we'll talk outside." retorted Jared while he made himself presentable.

While Booth and Jared were having this conversation. Cam and Temperance were studying each other.

"So how do you like working with Booth?" asked Cam.

"He seems like a nice man, I have yet to see him do any actual investigating."

"Don't worry about that, you'll soon see that he's the best."

"How do you like working with his brother?"

"Umm, you know it's good. My dad was a police officer so I always wanted to be one too. Unfortunately, working for a dick was the best I could hope for."

"A dick is a private investigator, right?"

"_Right._" responded a prevaricating Cam, "So how did you end up working at the Bureau?"

"It's a long story, but basically Agent Booth got me the job."

"That sounds just like Seeley, always helping people out. I swear he's probably helped more people get jobs than an employment agency."

It was just as Temperance suspected the man had a hero complex. "Have you known him long?"

"Oh, I've known the Booth brothers since high school. Booth was the most popular guy in school and Jared was always trying to live up to him."

"Gossiping with your friend while on the job, are we?" came an accusing voice from behind Cam. Temperance saw that the man had the same familial markers as Booth, but he had a slighter bone structure.

"Actually, Jared this is the person that I wanted you to meet, she's working a case with me." As Jared turned his full attention to Temperance, Booth saw him turning on the the charm they had inherited from their parents and actually exhibit the manners that Pops had taught them.

"Well hello, my name is Jared and you are?'

"Temperance Brennan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Brennan." whispered Jared as he reached for her hand. Booth decided to interfere before Jared slobbered all over her hand and stepped in between them.

"Okay then, now that we're all introduced why don't we just sit down and get to the reason we're here."

"Fine by me, why the surprise visit big brother?"

Booth pulled out Cam's handkerchief. " I found this on a vic." Cam reached for it but Booth held it slightly beyond her reach. "Sorry Cam, it's evidence now."

"What do you want to know?" sighed Cam.

"I want to know who the guy was. He's been dead for a few months so you might need to go back a bit in your memory."

"How do you expect us to remember one cheating husband out of all the ones we've tracked?" asked an exasperated Jared.

"There's not that many people who can afford to hire a detective anymore, especially not for petty things like cheating husbands."

"Do you have a physical description for me to go on?" asked Cam, although she didn't really need it, like Booth said things were slow.

"He was 5 feet 11 inches, slight build, Caucasian, and walked with a cane."

"How the heck do you know that?" asked a shocked Booth.

"You let me examine the skeleton remember?"

"Yeah, but I didn't know you could get all that from it."

"People, in case you're interested I'm pretty sure I know who your vic is." interjected Cam.

"Go ahead, Cam."

"A few months ago an old man came to us saying that he wanted us to investigate his son-in-law. We were to follow him and report everything he did, apparently he had been getting the feeling that his daughter wasn't living happily ever after. So Jared has me do the usual, walk up to the guy in a bar, and if he bites, I leave the handkerchief in his pocket for his wife to find."

"You slept with him?" asked a horrified Temperance.

"No! Jared always comes up and pretends to be my boyfriend. Anyway, we follow the guy, first he goes and sees this dame on the other side of town, spends like thirty minutes with her."

"And she spent like twenty minutes arguing with him. The incriminating stuff was over so fast it was a miracle I got the photos. Not exactly Casanova." interrupted Jared.

"So then we follow the guy home cause our client, wants to know everything, including how he treats his wife and son. Well, the old man was right about the basterd, as soon as he got home and saw that dinner wasn't out, he wakes up his wife and kid and starts hitting them. Yelling about how he's the master of the house and that if he hasn't eaten, nobody else can eat. The kid gets hit in the stomach and throws up on his father's shoes, so that just sets the guy off even more. I had to restrain Jared from bursting into the house."

As she thought back on the time Cam realized that was the last time she had been proud of Jared, lately he had been slipping into bottles more and more. That basterd deserved getting the shit knocked out of him by Jared, but the laws were on the husband's side. As she looked at the Booth boys she saw the same angry look on their faces.

"The guy finally gets tired of beating them up and he leaves again. We figure we've got enough on the guy and I really didn't want to see his face anymore so we head home."

"What's the guy's name Cam?"

"Sweets, Arthur Sweets."


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Just a short little car scene. More coming up soon.**

Chapter 11

"How did you know that the handkerchief was your friend's?' asked Temperance as they drove to Arthur Sweets' father-in-law's house.

"I saw her initials on the corner." shrugged Booth.

"The probability that the victim knew another woman with the same initials is extremely high."

"How about the probability that another woman with the initials CS wears the same perfume as Cam."

"So you've had sexual intercourse with her?" Temperance asked while masking the fact that this irked her by looking out the window.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, Angela tells me the only time that men remember details like a woman's perfume is when he's slept with her."

"For your information, we also remember that stuff when we're dizzy with the dame, it doesn't necessarily mean that we, we..., you know."

"Had sex? You can say it you know, you aren't gonna make me faint. All mammals have sex; it shouldn't be taboo to say the word. It is ridiculous to deny that the reproductive process exists. Sex is at the center of many cultures; many Pacific Islanders for example, have religious ceremonies that involve sensual dancing as without sex the society would die out. That's why so many cultures over the centuries have featured promiscuous gods."

At this point Booth recovered from hearing such words come out of the mouth of a woman and his ability to talk was restored although his face retained its red color. "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, it may not be necessary to protect you from hearing such words, but I do need to be prevented from hearing them come from your mouth."

"How about I develop a code word, would that satisfy your puritan modesty?"

"No, no it wouldn't."

"I'm a scientist; I have to be able to say it. I know translation!"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"That's why it's a code word. I suppose I could say aetaluta, but you would never know what I'm saying."

Just like a squint to think that a guy with brawn wouldn't know Latin, thought Booth, and they think I'm the one with the ego. And by the way genius, you pronounced it wrong.

"So you never translated with Cam, you were just woozy over her?"

"What?"

"You never answered my question about your translations with Cam. You just said that a man would remember a woman's perfume if he was woozy with a wench."

"First of all, I don't discuss my ... translations with women. The important thing is that me and Cam are just friends. Second of all, the saying is dizzy with a dame"

"What does that even mean?"

"Oh, look we're here!" breathed a relieved Booth.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Here's some more case.**

Chapter 12

The mansion looked palatial from the outside but when they were shown inside, it was obvious that Mr. Dowd like many of his peers had, had to sell much of his furnishings. There were spaces on the wall where paintings had obviously hung and the only piece of furniture left in the entrance hall was a coat rack. As the little old housekeeper shuffled off to find Mr. Dowd, Temperance and Booth were left to think about each other. Temperance was adding up all the aspects of Booth that she had found out so far. Booth's thoughts were of a more questioning nature as the only thing he knew about her is that she genuinely loved working with bones and that she had no concept of proper conversation between men and women. What kind of woman wants to work with bones? She must have some issues.

"My housekeeper tells me you wish to speak with me." said distinguished looking older gentleman coming down the stairs.

"Yes Mr. Dowd, I'm Special Agent Booth and this is my associate Miss Brennan. We're from the United States Bureau of Investigation; we'd like to ask you some questions about your son-in-law."

Temperance was surprised that he would refer to them as we. There was no we, she was just here to take notes.

"Yes. well I suppose you know that Arthur's been missing for months."

"Yes sir, but we have found his remains and we would appreciate you telling us about the last time you saw him."

"Please follow me to my office; I would rather not talk about this out here."

Mr. Dowd led them to his office and gestured for them to sit in the two chairs in front of his desk while he sat behind it.

"Would you care for some refreshment?"

"No thank you, sir. We just want to ask you a few questions and get out of your hair."

"Of course."

"When was the last time you saw your son-in-law?"

"About four months ago, I assumed that he had decided to leave town, we had a heated discussion the last time I saw him and we parted on bad terms."

"Did that have anything to do with your suspicions of his beating your daughter and grandson?"

"So you know about that, hardly surprising seeing as you're with the Bureau. Yes, I accused him and he denied it so I hired a Private Investigator to bring me proof. He brought it to me the next day and I brought my daughter and grandson to live here."

"Did you confront him again?"

"No, my first concern was getting them out of the house. Besides he wasn't at home and he never came looking for them so I had no chance to. If I had seen him again I would have probably killed him with my own bare hands. Do you know what he would do to Opal and Lance? It was barbaric and I never even suspected, he would only hit them where their clothes would cover the bruises and every time I went to visit them I would buy the bullshit about Lance being sickly and that's why he was so skinny!"

"How long was your daughter married to him?"

"Ten years."

"And it took you that long to find out what your son-in-law was doing to your daughter?" interjected Temperance in disbelief.

"Miss Brennan!" Booth exclaimed.

"No, she's right I should have been paying closer attention to my family. I was too busy trying to make more money that I never bothered to look closer. Apparently, their marriage didn't start out this way, but the abuse escalated so much that rumors had begun to swirl. Arthur made us believe that he loved Opal, I now realize that that so called love was just him controlling and manipulating her."

"Is your daughter at home?"

"Yes, but I don't see what you would have to talk to her about. She didn't kill him she still loves the bastard"

"May we speak to her please? It's important that we investigate every possibility."

"Arthur wasn't worth this."

"That very well may be, but I still have a job to do sir."

"I suppose you could see her, just promise me you won't upset her, she's very delicate right now."

"I promise."

Mr. Dowd led them from his office to the west wing upstairs and to a women's sitting room. Opal Sweets' delicate condition was very apparent to Booth and Temperance; it seemed that there would soon be another Sweets in the world. Mrs. Sweets was reclining on a settee knitting baby clothes, however scattered around her were half-finished blue and pink clothing.

"She doesn't know what she wants the baby to be, if the baby's a girl she could end up like her and if the baby's a boy it could end up like Arthur." whispered Booth to Temperance as they crossed the room.

"That's ridiculous; she probably just wants to be prepared."

"Then why hasn't she finished any of them?" he pointed out as the sat down on the love seat across from her, while Mr. Dowd sat in an armchair to one side.

"Opal, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth and Miss Brennan from the Bureau of Investigation. They need to ask you some questions about Arthur."

"What sort of questions?'' asked a nervous Mrs. Sweets.

"Mrs. Sweets, after your father brought you home did you have any contact with your husband?"

"No, I had no idea where he went. I was expecting for him to come and bring me and Lance home but he hasn't. I knew he was mad at me but he should have come for me after a few weeks. He loves me and the most important thing in his life is family."

Temperance couldn't help herself from snorting and Booth shot her a look that said "Don't start." While Mrs. Sweets shot her a questioning look and her father deplored of the woman's lack of tact.

"I'm sorry; um that was just a sneeze."

"Miss Brennan has a respiratory condition. Her sneezes sound like snorts."

"Um, bless you?" said an ever polite Mrs. Sweets.

"Did you and your husband have many arguments?"

"Every married couple has disagreements, we would have had less of them if I had known how to be a better wife." sniffled Mrs. Sweets her knitting once again forgotten. Temperance couldn't control himself once again and Mrs. Sweets snuffled out another bless you.

"Did he ever become physical during your disagreements?"

"It wasn't like that, he had to discipline me or else how was I going to learn how to be a better wife?"

"Don't you think you're a little old to be disciplined? Because if one day you just couldn't take it any more it would be perfectly understandable." asked Temperance.

"I love my husband you can't honestly believe that I would hurt him because he was performing his duties!"

Mr. Dowd interrupted no longer able to keep quiet in the face of his daughter's backward beliefs, "Opal, it isn't a husband's job to discipline his wife. He was supposed to love and treasure you." he said choking back a sob. "I should have never allowed you to marry him; I should have given your hand to Gordon."

"But I didn't love Gordon, Daddy, I love Arthur."

"At least you would have been safe; love would have come in time."

"I take it that Gordon was an old suitor. Did he know about how your husband treated you, Mrs. Sweets?"

"I never talked to Gordon again after I married. Arthur would get jealous if he even came near me."

"I don't doubt that he had suspicions, especially recently. If I suspected, Gordon must have as well. He never got over Opal, he tried to keep an eye out for her but Arthur kept him well away from him. He's an old friend of the family however, and I invite him over often. In fact, he picks up Lance from school on occasion."

"Yes, he was always a very nice man, and he and Lance have fun. But I still love Arthur." said Mrs. Sweets as she shot her father a look that demonstrated more assertiveness than was thought possible.

At that moment a skinny little boy came bursting through the double doors.

"Mom, mom look at what I painted at school!"

"It's beautiful Lance."

"See, here's you and the new baby, Grandpa, and Gordon and me."

At a more leisurely pace a man with salt and pepper hair and a crooked nose came in.

"He couldn't wait to show you his masterpiece, he even said no to my offer of ice cream." he said with a slight British accent.

"We can have ice cream tomorrow, Uncle Gordon." said an excited Lance as he ran over to show his grandfather his painting.

"Of course, we can. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't notice you had company."

"This is Agent Booth and Miss Brennan from the Bureau of Investigation they've found Arthur."

"Is he all right, something happened to him didn't it? Is he in the hospital?" asked an anxious Mrs. Sweets.

Before Booth could answer, Mr. Dowd stopped him. "I think I should be the one to tell her Agent Booth."

"Of course, sir." and with that Temperance, Booth, and Gordon left the room. Outside on the landing, Booth turned to Gordon and asked if it was all right to ask him a few questions.

"Of course, Agent Booth."

"What's your full name?'

"Gordon Gordon Wyatt"

"Your middle name's also Gordon?"

"My mother hated the name Gordon, and apparently she said something during labor that really set my father off, so he named me Gordon twice."

"With no consideration about his son's feelings, it wasn't even your fault. Did you know about Arthur Sweets treatment of his wife?"

"Not until recently, I went to England soon after Opal's marriage. I spent many years there, if I hadn't been so selfish as to think only of my feelings I would have know what he was doing to her."

"And what would you have done to him if you had known."

"I would have taught him a lesson."

"Would that lesson involve killing him?" interjected Temperance.

"Subtle. Very subtle!" exclaimed Booth.

"What that's what you really want to know isn't it?"

"You don't just come out and ask it. No one is gonna say, "Oh yes I killed him, would you like to handcuff me now?" Why don't you just stick to bones, I'll handle the live ones."

"In response to your question, no, I didn't kill him. When I heard the rumors I beat him up a little and convinced Mr. Dowd to keep a closer watch on him. I couldn't really do much else."

Booth nodded in solidarity, "And when was that?"

"A couple of days before she came to live here."

"And you didn't see him again?"

"No, that was the last time I saw him."

From inside the sitting room they heard Mrs. Sweets' wails.

"Well, Mr. Gordon Gordon Wyatt, I suggest you keep close."

"Don't worry about me I'm never leaving Opal again, I don't care what she says or does to make me leave, I'm going to be here for her and her children."

Booth looked on him with a respect that was very rarely meted out. Gordon turned to go back inside the room and Booth and Temperance showed themselves out.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Please tell me what you think about this chapter. Do you want to see more of Angela and Hodgins? Or maybe only a smidge? Should I get back to Brennan and Booth?**

Chapter 13

Zack rushed over to Hodgins' workstation, "Naomi from Human Resources just called me, they just hired a new dark room attendant and she's already on her way."

"Okay, we need to come up with something fast." Hodgins thought for a few seconds, " I got it! We fill a bucket with some of my bugs and place it on top of the door to the dark room."

"We always use your bugs." complained Zack.

"Fine, what do you got?"

"How about fingerprinting powder?"

"You sissy!"

"How about both?"

"Okay okay we don't have too much time, grab some powder and I'll get my bugs."

Zack ran to his station for the powder bottle while Hodgins grabbed a bucket.

Zack filled the bucket about a quarter of the way up; they didn't need much to make their point. Meanwhile Hodgins was taking out his container of bugs.

"Wait, aren't those the dermestid beetles? The ones that eat flesh?"

"Yeah, all of my other bugs are larvae right now; they shouldn't be placed in harm's way at such a young age. These guys have lived full lives."

"Mmmm"

"Relax, unless she's one of the living dead, they won't even nibble on her." he said as he scooped some out and placed them in the bucket.

"Not Ringo." Zack objected, while he plucked the beetle in question gently out of the powder and placed him back with his brothers and sisters.

"Even I think it's weird that you've named them."

They finished setting up their prank and headed back to Hodgins' workstation to watch the fun.

"There, maybe after we get rid of this one, they'll finally understand that art and science don't mix and they'll move the dark room." said Hodgins

"Is that why we do this?'

"Yeah, whadya think it was for?'

"I just thought that you enjoyed chaos, I merely join you in order to maintain our social bond. You do realize it's highly unlikely they'll move the dark room as it does contain chemicals and so should be in a lab."

"Yeah, I know. Maybe I do just do this for fun."

At that moment a young women carrying a new lab coat, came in through the lab doors. She saw Hodgins and Zach and headed over to them.

"Hi, I'm Angela, I'm the new dark room attendant." she said while holding out her hand for them to shake. Zack shook it first as Hodgins had the look of a wide mouth bass pasted on his face. "I'm Zack Addy and this is Dr. Jack Hodgins, but people generally refer to him as Hodgins." Hodgins was still incapable of speech.

"Do you think you could show me to the dark room, Zack Addy?"

"Of course." said a smiling Zack as he imagined the look on her face in a few moments."

Just as they were reaching the door, Hodgins got over the astonishment of seeing _her _here and he ran over to stop her from opening the door.

"No wait!" he yelled as he came skidding in between her hand and the doorway. Unfortunately, being a squint, his forte was not the physical and he lost his balance and fell against the door. Hodgins fell to the floor as the bucket and its contents fell on his head.

Angela lifted the bucket from his head and smilingly said, "You know that prank usually works better if you let the person walk through the door." She picked up a beetle that was crawling on Hodgins' shirt collar, "Me and my cousins would go bug hunting every summer, but I've never seen any like these."

"They're dermestid beetles, they eat flesh, they're used to clean skeletons." said Zack in a last ditch effort to disgust her.

"Sweet!"

Zack's face fell at her exclamation and Hodgins couldn't help but to look up at her with admiration.

"Is your friend going to be okay? He's got that stunned look on his face again."

"Yeah, I'm just going to take him to get cleaned up and then we'll be back for the rest of it." grunted Zack while trying to lift Hodgins from the floor. He finally succeeded and pulled him away from the door.

Angela picked her way carefully through the mess and walked inside to look over the dark room. "See you cats later" she said as she shut the door. Tempe had warned her about those two, and her cousins in Texas had played enough pranks on each other that she knew to look up when about to open a slightly ajar door. She would have pushed Zack through the doorway if Hodgins hadn't come running up. Angela smiled, she knew why Hodgins had ruined his own prank, he was smitten. Well good, that will keep him from pulling anymore pranks, I'll still have to keep an eye out for his friend, but I don't think he'll last very long without his partner in crime.

Meanwhile, Zack was busy picking the beetles out of Hodgins' curly hair and placing them back in their container.

"Ugh, how is it, that even after millennia of evolution I'm here picking bugs out of your hair like I was a chimpanzee? What happened to you? Why did you stop her from opening the door? And why did you keep looking at her with that inane look on your face?"

"I know her!"

"From where?"

"I saw her in an art gallery, back before this whole financial crisis started. She's an artist. I saw her and I was completely lost. Not only that but her artwork speaks to me. I started buying her work for my office and house."

"Wait, are you talking about _love_?" asked Zack in a disbelieving tone, "Are you trying to tell me you're in love with an artist? That you fell in love at first sight?"

Hodgins suddenly sobered, "No no, of course not, that's absurd. It's probably just an infatuation, I mean there's no such thing as love at first sight!" Hodgins let out a half-hearted chuckle as he brushed his collar off.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Do you guys want more soon? Because I got a long chapter 15 I can post. If you guys want it. Why do I feel like this is blackmail? Sorry ;D**

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Chapter 14

Everyone in the bullpen looked up at the sound of Booth and his secretary bickering their way to the Lab.

"What? You were the one that tried to pass off a snort as a sneeze. I just added the bit about the respiratory condition to add some credibility. Next time keep your opinions to yourself."

"She was being irrational! How can she still insist that she loves him? And I bet she's not even going to give Gordon a chance, all because she still _loves_ her husband. If that's love I don't want anything to do with it, it was like she was brainwashed."

Booth sighed, "That's because she was brainwashed, what she and Arthur had wasn't love."

"It's all because of this ridiculous notion of marrying for love. If she hadn't believed in true love she would have married Gordon and she would have been perfectly happy."

"People do crazy things for love or at least what they believe is love. Besides you aren't seriously suggesting we go back to marriages of convenience?"

"I'm just saying people should marry for practical reasons, instead of marrying for sex."

"I thought you said you weren't going to use that word anymore!" hissed Booth as he opened the door to the Lab for her.

"Fine! They shouldn't marry for translations."

Angela came up from behind Booth and said, "I agree, people should marry for more interesting reasons, like sex." Booth's face turned red as he whirled around to see who had snuck up on him.

"This must be your friend Angela. I see you both have the tendency to talk about things that should only be discussed behind closed doors.

"Yes, Angela this is my boss Special Agent Seeley Booth."

"Nice to meet you Agent Studly. Oops I meant Agent Booth" chuckled Angela.

Temperance whispered rather loudly into her ear, "He's kind of a prude so you can't use the word sex in front of him, call it translation."

"I'm not a prude!" huffed Booth in frustration, "You know what, I'm going to go talk to Hodgins and Zack, at least as guys they won't be talking about sex."

"Men always talk about sex it's all they can think about." at Booth's grimace, Temperance added, "What? you said it first."

"It slipped out. Besides, guy squints don't talk about se...translation" he

said as he stalked off.

"Mmm, I'd like to translate him." said Angela as she blatantly ran her eyes over him as he stood talking to Hodgins.

"Angela!"

"What?" Angela grabbed Temperance's chin and forced her to look at him, "Sweetie, look at him, he's gorgeous. That man could probably translate Latin, French, Chinese, and even Swahili."

"Okay, I get that you're continuing with the whole translation theme, but I still don't know what you mean."

"I just mean he could have any woman he wants, any way he wants. Including me, so you better make up your mind about Agent Studly quick, or I'll really go after him. You have until the Monday after your date with that other G-man, then I go on the prowl. "

"Ang, I need to get back to work."

"Sure sweetie, but just remember what I told you." Angela walked back to the dark room hoping that Temperance's date was the same caliber as Agent Studly.

Temperance walked over to the table where she had left the remains this morning. She was disturbed by the thought of Angela dating Booth. Why should she care if Angela was interested in her boss, that didn't mean he was interested back. Who was she kidding, Temperance had lived with Angela for three years now and whoever Angela wanted, Angela got. Of course that didn't mean that they lasted very long. Angela believed in love, she just didn't believe in commitment. All of a sudden Temperance was snapped out of her reverie by the sight of an empty table. Where had her remains gone? This was a disaster someone had stolen the remains from under the Bureau's nose! She had to find Booth, someone had taken her bones!


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: I got bored of waiting for more reviews. I guess my chapters will just have to garner reviews on their own. Oh well, hope you enjoy it. **

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Chapter 15

Temperance ran past the dark room, her heels making a furious clicking noise on the floor. Angela came out to see what had her so agitated; she caught up to Temperance and spun her around to face her. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"The remains are missing! Someone took my bones! I have to find them!" she exclaimed as she broke from Angela's grasp and ran to find Booth. What kind of place was this that they could lose remains?

She found Booth at Zach's station.

"Whoa! What's wrong? Why do you look like the devil's on your tail?"

"The bones are missing, somebody stole them!"

"This is the Bureau of Investigation, no way that bones get stolen. They're..."

"I'm telling you they've been stolen!" Didn't this man understand what she was saying?

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, they're not missing they were sent to Dr. Har...Dr. Her... some doc at the Jeffersonian."

"Dr. Hrdlika?"

"Uh, yeah."

"You sent them to that decrepit misogynist!"

"Whoa! What's with all the yelling, they're just bones."

"Just bones!" huffed Temperance, "For your information, skeletons can provide sex, age, and cause of death. They are the architecture of a person and show indicators of how a person lived his life. How could you send my bones to that pompous ass?"

"I'm just following orders, okay? Cullen said to send all skeletal remains to the Jeffersonian and that's what I did. What's the deal with you and the doc?"

"Nothing, there's no deal."

"Sure, and I'm Clark Gable."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Yeah, look I need to do some things in the office before we go see Arthur's action on the side." he said as he led the way out of the lab.

They reached the office just as the phone was ringing. "I'll get it!" they both shouted, as they reached for it at the same time. They reached it at the same time Booth's larger hand on top of Temperance's keeping her from picking up the phone.

"Its my job."

"I can do it myself."

"Why don't you want me to answer it? Is it your girlfriend?"

"No! What? How would I even know who it was?"

"Well, you knew it wasn't your girlfriend."

"That's cause I don't have one."

"Let me answer, its my job, and I got to it first."

Booth let go of her hand, she would just have to hand it back to him anyway.

"It's for you."

"Of course it is, its my office. What you're supposed to tell me is who's calling."

"It's your son's school."

Booth grabbed the phone. Apparently, Parker had got in a fight in school, and was in detention. The principal wanted Booth to come pick him up and have a talk. Booth sighed as he hung up; Parker had never gotten detention before.

"Um, I have to go to my son's school." Booth thought about what to do, he couldn't just take off. "Okay look, I need you to do me another favor. My kid's school is on the way to Arthur's girl's place. We'll pick him up on the way and when we get there, you two can stay in the car while I question the broad."

"That was asking?"

Booth shot her his puppy dog eyes, his grams used to say that those big brown eyes had conned her out of more sweets than was good for him.

"This time I'm asking you, could you please watch my son while I'm interrogating? He's a good kid." _When he's not getting into fights_, thought Booth.

Brennan tried to resist those chocolate pools, that were begging her to agree, but she couldn't hold out any longer.

"Fine, but it's not because you tried to appeal to the evolutionary urge to protect, through imitating an infant's vulnerability by making your eyes as big as possible."

Booth was so glad she'd agreed, he didn't even try to make sense of what she said.

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Booth was stern with Parker after his meeting with the Principal.

"You know you shouldn't fight."

"He started it! He called mom a slut! I had to fight him, I was protecting mom's honor."

"Parker," sighed Booth, what was he going to tell him about his mom? That she didn't deserve Parker getting his nose broken for her? That her honor was left behind years ago? "Let me take a look at your nose, that nurse did a horrible job straightening it, your going to have a bump in your nose."

"I don't mind, it's just a bump, Eddie's gonna have a crooked nose the rest of his life. He was too chicken to let the nurse straighten it. It leans to the left now."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Booth couldn't help feeling proud that his boy gave as good as he got.

"We'll deal with this later, right now there's someone I want you to meet." He said as he opened the car door to let Parker in the back seat. "Parker this is Miss Brennan, she works at the bureau with me."

Parker and Temperance shook hands over the front seat.

"It's very nice to meet you, Parker."

"Nice to meet you too, Miss Brennan" replied Parker in a rather sullen voice.

Booth climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. "Parker, I have some work to do, so when we get there you're gonna stay in the car with Miss Brennan and do your homework." A rather gloomy "okay" was heard from the back seat as they pulled away.

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Temperance and Parker had been sitting in the car in complete silence for about ten minutes. Temperance had asked Parker if he needed any help with his homework, but he had informed her that he had finished it at school. He was now sprawled across the back seat looking very morose. She had a feeling that something was wrong, her nieces never stopped talking. They would even start conversations with strangers, which drove Amy crazy.

"Is everything alright Parker?"

"Fine." came the mumbled reply.

"I notice that you broke your nose, what happened?"

"Fight."

"I got in a fight once. Dorothy Flanagan called my da a lazy bum and I pulled her hair and knocked out her tooth."

"What did your parents say?"

"Well, I wouldn't tell them why I knocked out Dorothy's tooth so I was grounded for a week and I had to apologize to Dorothy."

"That stinks."

"I don't smell anything."

"Nah, nothing smells. What stinks is you got grounded for protecting your dad's honor."

"Oh, then yes, that stinks."

"Are you my dad's girlfriend?"

"No." For some reason, Temperance felt calmer answering the question when Parker asked it than when Cam had asked it. "We just work together. Why would you think that I would be your father's girlfriend?"

"I don't know, Pops keeps telling him he needs one."

"And you thought that your father had followed his advice?"

"Yep" nodded Parker dejectedly.

"Do you think your father needs a girlfriend?"

"No, I just want my mom to come home."

"I understand."

"No, you don't. Your parents didn't divorce.""No, they didn't. But they had to leave me behind once, and even though I knew why they had to leave me, all I wanted was for them to come home."

"Did they come back?"

"Yes, a few months later, but it was never the same. They had left me with my brother's wife and they only came back to visit us."

"Why did they leave?"

"To keep me safe. Um, Parker can we stop talking about this." Temperance had started off trying to make Parker feel better and all she had done was make herself sad. "I'm really good with bones; do you want me to straighten your nose for you?"

"Are you a nurse?"

"Actually, I'm a doctor, but don't tell your father that."

"You don't look like a doctor. Don't doctors wear white coats?"

"Yes, but I'm not that kind of doctor. I want to work in a lab identifying bodies. But I had to take the job as your father's secretary, so don't tell him I'm a doctor."

"Why?"

"Just promise it'll be our secret." If there was one thing that Temperance knew about men, it's that they hated being surpassed by women.

"Okay, Miss Brennan."

"You can call me Tempe."

"Okay, Tempe."

Parker thought over whether or not to let her straighten his nose. It had hurt a lot when the nurse had done it and it still wasn't straight.

"Will it hurt?"

"Yes, I promise to be as gentle as I can though."

"Okay," said Parker with a wince.

"Come sit up here." she said patting the space next to her.

Parker climbed over the front seat and Temperance had to press herself against the door to keep _her _nose from being broken by one of Parker's legs.

"Oops, sorry Tempe." said Parker as he noticed Temperance pushed up against the other side of the car.

"It's fine. Now come here and let me take a good look. Oof, someone already set this; I'm going to have to re-break it."

"You mean you're gonna have to slug me?"

"I don't know what that means."

"You don't have to hit me, do you?"

"No! I just have to yank on the bone and put it back in place. Do you still want me to do it?"

"Yeah, I can take it."

"Okay." Temperance cradled the back of Parker's head and placed her hand on his nose. Parker closed his eyes. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

Temperance yanked on the bone and slid it back in place. Unfortunately, she forgot the most important part of the resetting procedure. She had grabbed and yanked but she forgot to duck. Parker swung out reflexively and connected with the side of her jaw.

"Hey, that wasn't as bad as when the school nurse did it!"

"Maybe for you," Temperance grumbled massaging her jaw, "Nice slug, by the way."

"I'm sorry Tempe! I didn't even realize I had hit you. I'm sorry!"

"It's okay Parker, I forgot to duck. It's my fault."

"Are you sure? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's not even going to bruise, you couldn't really get at my jaw with my arm in the way."

"My dad's going to kill me! I'm not supposed to hit girls."

"Parker, like I said before. It was my fault. Don't worry about it. He'll never find out from me."

"But..."

"Now we're even. You know a secret about me and I know a secret about you."

"I guess that's why the nurse had Lance and Bobby hold my arms."

The rest of the time waiting for Booth was spent in conversation. Parker would tell Temperance about his friends, teachers, and the girls at school. Although every once in a while, he would start apologizing to Temperance all over again. Towards the end, Parker started getting sleepy, it was to be expected, having your nose broken and set twice can take a lot out of a kid. Parker was out in five minutes, and not five minutes later, Booth came back. He opened the driver's door to find his son's feet on his seat and his head on Temperance's lap. Booth sighed and gently moved Parker's feet off his seat and into a half sitting position, although Parker continued to lean on Temperance.

"How did it go?" she asked in a husky whisper.

"Fine, I'll tell you at the office." he whispered back.

Booth drove home to drop off Parker with Pops. As he lifted Parker into his arms and wrapped him around himself, Booth grunted, "Oof, you are getting too heavy for this bub." And then to Temperance, "Would you mind bringing his school bag?"

They climbed the steps to his house and when they reached the door, an older gentleman opened the door.

"Well well, shrimp who's the lovely lady."

"Pops, just let me get inside. This kid weighs a ton." grunted Booth.

"Fine fine," said the older gentleman as he stood aside for Booth to enter. Booth carried his son up the stairs, as Temperance handed the school bag to Pops. "Since my grandson was too burdened to properly introduce us, I think we can introduce ourselves. I'm Hank Booth."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Booth. I'm Temperance Brennan; I work for your grandson."

"Call me Hank, please. It's nice to see that his new job isn't the only thing keeping Seeley working late."

"Pops!"

"What? Are you going to try to tell me that she isn't a curve, or whatever it is you kids call beautiful women nowadays?"

"Okay, Pops we really need to get back to work." he said as he tried to rush Temperance out of the house.

"Oh, I know, she's a looker!" called Pops from the front door.

"See ya later Pops!" yelled Booth as he opened the door for Temperance.

"See ya Shrimp." he chuckled as he watched Booth get in the driver's seat.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Hope you guys are still enjoying this, if you are let me know. :D**

Chapter 16

When they arrived at the DOJ building Booth headed to the Lab to look over crime scene photos with Angela, and Temperance went to transcribe the notes he had taken at Karen Tyler's apartment. She was interrupted by the mail being delivered.

"Hello, I'm Temperance Brennan. I'm Agent Booth's new secretary."

"I.. I...I'm.. ahem. My name is Oliver Laurier. I deliver the mail."

"It's nice to meet you Oliver." said Temperance as she extended her hand for him to shake. He took it and held onto it longer than necessary.

"Um, I kind of need my hand back Oliver."

"Of course, of course Temperance." he said lingering on her name as well as in giving her her hand back. Temperance waited for Oliver to hand over the mail, but he just stared at her, she unconsciously shuddered.

"The mail, Oliver."

"Yes, yes, of course." he said holding the envelopes out. Temperance snatched them out of his hand rather forcefully, in an effort to keep him from touching her again. At that moment, Sully entered the office.

"Hello Temperance. I just came to see that you hadn't forgotten our date tomorrow."

Oliver sent Sully a look of pure venom, Sully however, was too preoccupied admiring Temperance to notice.

"Hello Sully, I haven't seen you in a few days."

"Um, yes. About that."

Booth walked into his office to find Oliver and his mail cart as well as Sully crowding it. "Sully, why are you holding yellow roses behind your back?"

Sully whirled around to face Booth still holding the roses behind him.

"I was just here to explain to Temperance why I haven't been here lately."

"Don't you think you could do that after we all get off from work?"

"It won't take long."

"Swell." said a sarcastic Booth, unfortunately Sully was one of those who never recognized sarcasm. Booth turned to Oliver, at least he could get rid of him quickly. "Did you have mail for me Oliver?"

"I already gave it to your secretary."

"Do you mind then? This office is small enough without your cart in here."

"Of course." as he was leaving Oliver threw one last longing look at Temperance that disturbed Booth. _Great! _he thought, _now the resident creep is taken with my secretary._

As he was looking through his mail, Booth listened to Sully and Temperance's conversation. Sully had already given her the flowers, apologizing for having been gone. Then Sully started bragging that he had been on an undercover mission in Chicago, and Booth knew it was time for him to leave. The idiot was going to disclose Bureau business, just so he could look good.

"Okay Sully, my secretary really needs to get back to work so how's about you do the same."

"Lighten up, Booth." Booth shot him a dirty look. "Okay then, I'll be back after work to take you home." he said as he left the office.

"Um, I'm just going to go to the lab and see if they have somewhere to put these flowers."

"Sure", Booth was finally able to sit down at his desk as he started opening his mail.

"Angela do you have a vase for these flowers?"

"Sweetie! Who gave you those?"

"Sully."

"Who?"

"He's the agent who asked me to go out with him tomorrow."

"Flowers before the date? That's a nice touch. Well, I don't have a vase, how about a beaker?"

"Perfect."

As Angela dug out the beaker, she remembered a book that one of her predecessors had left.

"Here, sweetie. Rinse it out good, you never know what was in it before." Angela went back to digging around her station. "Ha! Found it!"

"What's that?"

"It's a book about the language of flowers. One of the girls who worked here before me must have gotten a lot of flowers."

"Language is one of the necessary characteristics of a culture, flowers do not have language, Angela. They are incapable of it, they're merely reproductive organs of plants."

"No, sweetie. It's a book about what flowers symbolize. Ahh! Here it is, yellow roses. Yellow roses represent friendship or platonic love. They also represent dying love, jealousy, and infidelity. A third meaning is that of apology."

"Angela that symbolism originated in the Middle Ages. I doubt that Sully is aware of it."

"I don't know honey, seems like a bad omen."

"Thanks for the beaker, but I should get back to work."

Booth was down to his last piece of mail, something from the D.C. Superior Court. As he read it his jaw dropped and he was filled with a feeling of relief and freedom. He was divorced! He was finally divorced!

Temperance walked in at that moment and before she knew what happened, Booth grabbed her by the shoulders and dipped her as he pressed his lips to hers. Temperance let go of the beaker and it broke, splashing water on Booth's shoes, neither of them noticing, as she ran her hands over his back to his shoulders. He ran his tongue over her lips and when she sighed in pleasure he took the opportunity to taste her. They stopped only when they both felt the need for air. Booth and Temperance stood there panting, reason returning to them as well as their breath. Booth was the first to speak, "I um, just got my divorce finalized, ya know?"

"Um, sure."

"I uh, ya know, was just so happy,"

"I could see that..."

"Well, yeah. And um, that was it."

"I'm going to get another beaker for these flowers." she said hurriedly as she escaped what now felt like a sweltering office.

Booth looked at the floor, gathered the flowers together and put them on his desk. _Idiot! What did you do that for? She probably thinks you're some kind of molestor._

Brennan hurried back to the Lab.

"Angela, do you have another beaker?"

"Sure sweetie. Did you break it?"

"What? No! I mean yes. I'm sorry I was clumsy." replied a flustered Temperance.

"Honey, you don't have to look so embarrassed about it. It happens to everyone."

It took Temperance a second to realize that Angela did not mean that everyone got kissed by their boss.

Booth walked in, took one look at them and headed over to where Hodgins and Zack were talking.

"Hey G-man! Rumor is that you finally got your divorce papers."

"How do you know that?"

"Aces! The mail room finally got one right."

Angela walked over as Temperance stayed behind. "So it's true that you're a free man again? We should celebrate."

"You barely started working here! How do you know about it?"

"What can I say? You have a very efficient grapevine here. As I was saying, you should celebrate."

"How?"

"Well, for starters you could plant one on every single girl who works here. Starting with me."

At the look of Booth's stricken face, Angela laughed, "Okay, no need to look so shell shocked, that is a lot of girls to kiss. Let's all go out tomorrow night. I know this really great Jazz club."

Hodgins pounced on the idea, "It'll be a real bachelor party."

Zach interjected, "I never understood that, logically the party held for the groom before a wedding should be called a groom party rather than a bachelor party."

"Glad you guys like the idea. It's called the Checkerbox, over on..."

Booth realized that this was beyond his control and decided to go along with it. He might as well invite Cam and Jared, they had never liked Rebecca and if they heard from Pops that he had celebrated his divorce without them, there would be hell to pay.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: Thanks to all those who are reading this. And an even bigger thanks to those who review. I'm glad you like my story.**

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Chapter 17

Booth walked into his office to see his secretary bent over some notes.

"Did you find out something useful from Hodgins?" she asked without looking up.

Booth was both flustered and relieved that she was back to talking about work. It was an odd combination of feelings. "Yeah, um, he said that he found some dermestid beetles in the trunk. That really doesn't help me much, though."

"Wait, did you say dermestid beetles?"

"Yeah."

She shuffled through the file, "It says in your notes that Karen Tyler's brother is a taxidermist."

"What do I care if the guy skins cats for a living?"

"Taxidermists don't just skin animals; they need to macerate the remains before they can stuff them."

"Huh?"

"Maceration is the process of removing the flesh."

"So?"

"_So_, they use dermestid beetles in the maceration process."

"And suddenly our taxidermist becomes our prime suspect!" exclaimed Booth as he grabbed his coat and hat and headed out the door.

"Where are you going? I want to come too."

"No, no you're not, you're staying here.""But I want to come watch you get the down from the taxidermist."

Booth paused as he tried to decipher what she was saying. "_Low down. _Its get the low down from the taxidermist."

"Fine, the low down then. Can I come along?"

"If you come with me, then you'll miss out on Sully driving you home."

"I'll just leave him a note. I'd really want to see you interrogate someone."

Booth felt a burst of pride at her words, "_Fine_, write your note."

Temperance quickly scrawled a note to Sully and taped it to the door of Booth's office and they were gone.

* * *

Greg Tyler's taxidermy shop looked like a museum, with all sorts of animals that looked like they could walk away at any moment. Booth and Temperance approached the back room to find a young man in the process of stuffing a deer.

"You Greg Tyler?"

He looked up from his work and looked them over. "Yes. What can I do for you?"

"We're with the Bureau; we need to ask you a few questions about Arthur Sweets."

"Who?" asked Greg as he suddenly turned back to his work.

"Your sister's boyfriend."

"I don't know any of my sister's boyfriends." he fiddled with the antlers.

"Your sister says you live with her now."

"Yeah but I don't stick around to meet her dates!"

"So what do you do when her boyfriends come over?"

"I scram, usually come here to work."

Temperance was scanning the room for his container of dermestid beetles. Not paying too much attention to the questions Booth was asking. Booth however, was paying close attention to the answers he was getting.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"Just looking at your dermestid beetles Mr. Tyler." answered Temperance, "Are these all you have? They don't seem enough to deflesh an entire deer."

"Yes well, many of them died recently. I would order more but they're a little pricy."

Booth noticed his jumpy appearance, "You okay there, Greg?"

"I'm fine." came the reply, even though he looked anything but.

"So, how hard are those bugs to come by?"

"I have to wait months for them, when I have the money. Why?"

"When did you say they died?"

"What's that matter?"

Temperance jumped into the conversation before Booth could stop her. "It matters, Mr. Tyler, because Arthur Sweets' body was disposed of with dermestid beetles."

Greg Tyler knocked down the deer he was working on and ran out the back door and into the alley. "Stay here!" he yelled, as he jumped over the deer and burst through the door, hot on Greg's heels. Temperance grabbed the first thing that looked like it would be a good weapon, and ran out the front door, she would cut the guy off.

Booth was running after Greg. Damn, the guy was fast, but Booth could tell Greg was a sprinter, he didn't have the stamina to keep running like that. But Booth did. Booth was catching up on Greg, so close, he thought, just a little closer and I'll have him. And with a burst of speed, Booth sprang forward and tackled the guy. Greg was brought down to the dirty ground by what felt like a ton of bricks. Struggling against Booth, he lashed out, flailing his arms and legs. Unfortunately, his elbow managed to slam into Booth's ear. Booth recoiled and Greg sped off again, his pulse pounding in his ears, he didn't hear the clacking of heels coming around the corner. Booth looked up just in time to see Greg fall backward, blood spurting out his nose, Temperance standing over him in a batter's stance. Greg was out for the count and Booth soon had him in handcuffs. "Nice swing. What the heck did you hit him with anyway?"

Temperance really looked at her weapon for the first time, "I'd say it's a moose's jawbone."

Booth burst out into laughter, "You, gasp, hit him with, gasp, a moose jaw?"

"It was the only thing handy."

Booth continued to laugh as he put the unconscious Greg into the car.

* * *

Back at the Bureau, Zach confirmed that Greg's fingerprints were all over the trunk. Angela discovered that the house had once been owned by the Tyler family. And Hodgins found animal hair on Sweet's clothes. As Temperance watched and took notes from behind the two-way mirror, Booth questioned the suspect. Temperance was convinced they had everything they needed, but Booth wasn't.

"Why'd ya do it Greg? Couldn't stand your little sis working on her back anymore?"

"Shut up! Don't talk about my sister like that!"

"Come on Greg, you gonna try and tell me you didn't know what your sister's job was?"

"I failed. I failed Dad. I failed her."

"Your dad told you to take care of her, didn't he?"

"She never listened to me. I told her I'd take care of her, but she always refused. Said I couldn't give her the things she needed on my salary. Then business went bad and it got to point that I had to live off her!" he said on a gasp.

"No, you were living off of her boyfriends."

"I was supposed to take care of her, protect her and I couldn't."

"Then you found out about Sweets. The shit she took from him."

"He was the worst of them all. I came home one morning and I found her covered in bruises. She refused to see reason, she was always so stubborn. Now she was insisting that they were in love. In love." he spat out the words like they were poison. "In love with a guy who thought she was a punching bag."

"You couldn't take care of her financially, but you could do something about an abusive boyfriend."

"It was the very least I owed Dad."

"How did you do it?"

"He was a hunter and my sister thought she was doing me a favor by sending him to me. She told me when to expect him. I waited until his back was turned and hit him with my gun. Dragged him over to the back room laid him over the sink and shot him. Let the blood drain and stuck him in an old trunk with some of my beetles. Drove it out to the old house, it was abandoned, didn't think anyone would find him." Greg recited his crime methodically, not caring that he had killed a man.

"Didn't you think anyone would report him missing?"

"Thought his wife would be grateful. But she probably thinks she's in love with him too, huh?"

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**AN: I still have more story to tell, hope you guys like what's coming up.**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Sorry its so short, I should have more soon.**

Chapter 18

Angela, Zack, and Hodgins were waiting for them at the door to Booth's office.

"Was it him? Did you catch the murdering bastard, sweetie?"

"Yes, the man we apprehended was in fact the murderer."

"Aces! Chalk up another one for the squints!"

Booth glared at Hodgins, "Excuse me, but was it science that got the confession? Squints don't solve crimes."

"You wouldn't have known to question him in order to extract a confession, without our help." interjected Zack.

Booth turned his glare at Zack. Angela decided to step in before any more testosterone was spilled. "Well, I think the points go to Bren. She's the one who kicked the murderer's ass."

"I never kicked the man in the ass, Angela. I struck him in the nose with a moose's jawbone."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Sweetie, you didn't!"

"God! I would pay to see that!"

"Merely imagining it is very humorous."

"You guys shoulda seen her. She was standing over him looking like Babe Ruth with a moose jaw for a bat, and he's falling backwards blood spurting from his nose!"

"Hello, everyone. What's so funny?" asked Sully as he walked up.

Tempe turned to Sully, "They seem to find the idea of me hitting a murder suspect with a moose jawbone hilarious."

"Well, of course its funny in theory. But you would never be in the positon to have to face a murder suspect."

Everyone sobered at Sully's words and Booth's black mood came back.

"Well, Tempe are you ready to go?"

"Just one thing, Angela did you drive today?"

"I actually haven't refueled the car in a few months. I took the bus."

"I'm sorry, Sully but I forgot to tell you. Angela's my roommate, she's going to have to come with us."

"I can give Angela a ride home." burst in Hodgins, " That way you guys can have a nice talk."

Booth elbowed Hodgins in the stomach and gestured towards Zack. Hodgins wouldn't be deterred though. "Why don't you take Zack home today, Booth?"

_Oh great, _he thought as the two couples went on their way, _the lovebirds have flown the coop and I get stuck with the cuckoo bird? _


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Here's another short bit. **

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Chapter 19

Temperance was surprised to see Booth already in his office the next morning. She usually got there before him, she supposed it was because Angela took forever getting ready this morning. Although, Sully's car did seem to lack sufficient horsepower to make up for Angela's delay.

Booth looked up when she entered the office. "Morning Bones."

"You called me Bones again!"

"No, this is the first time I'm calling you Bones. You heard wrong last time, remember?'

"Regardless, I don't appreciate it."

"Aw, come on, Bones. Its a nickname. Besides you earned it."

"What do you mean, I've earned it?"

"You're all about bones. I mean, you knocked out a guy with a jawbone. Not to mention, you actually knew what animal it came from."

Temperance shot him a look that said she was not convinced.

"Plus, you fixed my kid's nose. He couldn't shut up about how good you are at fixing broken noses."

Temperance softened at the mention of Parker, but she still wasn't convinced.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're his new favorite person. I'm starting to feel a little jealous. Besides he's the one who told me you needed a nickname."

"I still don't think that Bones is an appropriate workplace moniker."

"And to top it all off, I just got Dr. Hrdlika's report."

"You mean the decrepit misogynist's report!"

"Anyway. As I was saying. I got his report and his observations are nowhere near as detailed as yours. If I wouldn't be able to narrow down the suspect list with this, not to mention we solved the case yesterday. This is useless to me now. So you beat the old man at his own game, and you are now worthy of being called Bones"

Temperance felt a burst of pride at beating the old bastard. "Does this mean I can work in the lab now?"

"Are you kidding? This is only one case. You can't expect Cullen to promote you after only one case!"

"Then don't call me Bones!" she spat as she spun around and headed for the door.

Booth crossed the office in a flash and spun her around by the shoulders.

"Look, you've proven yourself to me. So you're always going to be Bones to me. But you've still got to convince Cullen to take on Hoover. You've got a whole lot of men to impress. You know how it is. But, I promise you, if you keep working with me I'm going to see that you get there. I take care of my people."

"I suppose Bones is a satisfactory nickname."


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: I'm thinking that I'll give you guys more, shortly. Thanks for all the comments you guys give me. Even on the short chapters.**

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Chapter 20

Later that night Angela was helping Brennan get ready for her date with Sully. Brennan was the no-nonsense type of girl, and it showed in her clothing. She picked out clothes for their comfort and professionalism. Not that Angela thought of Brennan as a frump. Heck, Bren would look good in a potato sack! Brennan had natural style, she just never went for the frills that so many women thought necessary. She wasn't the type to go out of her way to look sexy. But Angela thought that tonight called for something more than Brennan's most stylish dress could offer. So Angela insisted that Brennan wear the dress her dad had given her for Christmas. Angela hadn't even worn it yet, but she felt that seeing her friend looking like Venus would be the best present she could ask for.

Brennan was sitting in her room in a dressing gown while Angela did her makeup.

"There sweetie, I'm all done. Now just wait here, I got a surprise for you."

Before Brennan could protest that she hated surprises Angela had run out of the room. She came back with the most gorgeous dress in her collection.

"Bren, do me a favor and wear this dress."

"I can't do that, your father gave that to you."

"Well now I'm giving it to you. You know its rude to refuse someone's gift, don't you?"

"Ang..."

"If you don't wear it, I'll be mad at you for the rest of the week."

"Okay, okay I'll wear it."

* * *

Booth was getting ready for his "Bachelor Party", as Hodgins insisted on calling it. He grabbed his hat as he left his room and went downstairs.

"Hey Pops, you sure its okay to leave you alone tonight?"

"Shrimp, you ain't a kid anymore, you don't got to ask me permission."

"I know Pops, its just that I feel bad leaving you to take care of Parker, after you've had him all afternoon."

"Parker's asleep, he'll be no trouble. Just go on and celebrate your freedom. Is that looker of a secretary of yours going to be there?"

"Pops, I barely know her!"

"I barely knew your grandmother, the first time I asked her to dance."

"She's not going to be there, Pops. She had plans." Booth's enthusiasm for the evening dropped even lower as he remembered what those plans were.

"See, Shrimp. You gotta move fast in this market. Someone's gonna snatch her up and soon. Besides, you're not getting any younger, ya' know."

"Pops, I gotta go pick up Cam. Don't wait up for me." and with that Booth sprinted out to his car.

Hank hoped that all his encouragement would pay off and that his grandson would heed his words. He was hoping for some more great-grandchildren.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: I hope this is enough to tide you guys over. I'll try to have more of this up tomorrow. I need to work on Desert.**

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Chapter 21

When Sully got to Tempe's apartment and she opened the door. He thought she looked gorgeous, but then she turned around to get her purse and his jaw dropped. He was sure that he must have got a little drool on his chin because behind Tempe, Angela was smirking at him and gesturing at him to wipe his chin.

Sully soon regained his thoughts and closed his mouth, just in time for Brennan to turn around and tell him that she was ready to leave.

Sully was really nervous about his date with Tempe. He really liked her and he was hoping she liked him the same way. His best friend owned a really romantic Italian restaurant, so that's where they headed for dinner.

"So I heard from the office gossips that you want to work in the lab. Is it true? Because I can dig that."

"You can dig it?"

"Yeah, you know. I think its cool, swell, snazzy."

Since she still looked bewildered, he clarified. "I like it."

"You're not intimidated by a woman who's intelligent?"

"No, I think it's sexy. So what do you want to do in the lab?"

Temperance then went on to describe exactly what a Forensic Anthropologist could do. Most everyone else would find it boring or disgusting but Sully liked the passion that lit up her face when she was talking about it. He asked questions when he didn't understand something and actually understood a lot of what she was saying. At least when it came to the Anatomy portion. He talked a little about his dreams, but only if she asked. He'd realized that he'd been acting the wet sock all week, trying to impress her with the job in Chicago. After dessert they stayed talking and drinking coffee until it was time for the restaurant to close.

"C'mon Tempe. I know this real hep Jazz club we can go to."

Sully then spent the car ride to the club explaining the various colloquialisms that invariably spilled from his mouth. Not that he minded, he thought her cluelessness was cute.

* * *

Booth and Cam did some catching up on their way to the Checkerbox Club. What was going on with their families and work. They avoided the subject of Jared however, as that would only serve to ruin the night. They both loved him, but he could be a real bonehead sometimes.

They got to the club and soon found the others. Jared was the last one to arrive but Booth decided that he didn't really care. This was his night to have fun and he'd be damned if he'd ruin it by babying Jared.

Everyone was soon joking and hitting it off. Jared was being his charming self and was telling gumshoe stories to a fascinated Angela. Cam and Zack were discussing fingerprinting techniques and cases where they had come into play. While Hodgins and Booth were talking cars, something which they usually agreed on.

However, they were at a Jazz club and the girls wanted to dance. Jared and Angela went off for a spell. While Cam simultaneously tried to convince Zack to dance with her and Booth to dance with any of the girls currently eyeing him.

One of the girls had a lot of moxie and asked Booth to dance. Of course, he couldn't say no.

"So what's your name?" he asked over the loud music.

"Caroline."

"Well, my name's Booth."

"Is that your real name or are you just trying to give me the slip?"

"Nothing gets past you, does it? It's my last name, everyone calls me by it."

"So what brings a stud like you to a place like this?"

"I'm here with some friends. What about you?"

"Ditto."

They talked for the rest of the song. Booth was surprised to find he had fun dancing with Caroline. She was one tough dame.

As he was going back to the table where Cam, Hodgins and Zack were still sitting, he bumped into a couple from behind. The woman was wearing the most incredible dress he'd ever seen. The shiny black fabric left her entire back exposed. He mumbled a sorry just as they turned to face him, and his jaw dropped when he saw that it was Sully and Temperance.


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: I'm a little late on my promise, but I hope you guys like it. **

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Chapter 22

Sully and Temperance were about as surprised to see Booth as he was to see them.

"Hey Booth. What are you doing here? I didn't think this was your scene."

"Uh, I'm celebrating my divorce."

"It's final?"

"Yeah."

"Congratulations, big man." He said as he clapped Booth on the back. "Who are you here with?"

"Just the squints, Cam, and Jared."

"I haven't seen Cam in forever. Mind if we join you?"

"Nah, course not."

"Sully! What are you doing here?" exclaimed Cam when she saw them approaching.

"I'm here on a date with Temperance, have you two met?"

"Yeah, she came in with Booth the other day. They were investigating a murder."

"Okay?" he shot a questioning look at Booth that was answered with another that said he would explain later.

"So how's Felecia, Cam? Has she had the baby yet?"

"Yes, I am now the proud aunt of Michelle Eleanor McCartney."

"Congratulations." said Temperance, "I got two nieces myself."

While Cam and Temperance talked about being aunts, Caroline made her way over with one of her friends. Her friend had apparently set her sights on Zack and as soon as they were introduced began fawning all over him. Booth observed that this had the unexpected result of distracting Cam.

Angela and Jared soon returned to the table and after the requisite overly excited greeting on Angela's part, she began to insist that everyone stop jawing and get dancing.

Caroline's friend, Daisy, had Zack out of his chair before he could do more than stutter, causing Cam to quickly claim Booth. Caroline was a little stunned that Cam had beat her to the punch. Once Angela saw that Brennan would indeed dance, she and Jared went back to the dance floor. This left Hodgins and Caroline to pair up. Caroline looked the squint up and down, "I guess you'll have to do. Well, what are you waiting for? Let's dance short stuff!"

Booth, Hodgins, and Zack really lamented their luck though. The band played it slow and smooth, while the female singer captured their feelings and belted them out for the whole club to hear.

_Everybody's looking for love, oh oh_

_Ain't that the reason we're at this club? oh ohhh_

_You ain't gonna find it dancing with them, oh nooo_

_I got a better solution for ya, boy oh ohhh_

_Just leave with me now. Say the word and we'll go._

_I'll be your teacher, I'll show you the ropes._

_You'll see a side of love you've never known_

_I can see it going down, going down._

_In my head I see you all over me_

_In my head you fulfill my fantasy_

_In my head you be dreaming of me_

_In my head, its going down_

_In my head, its going down _

_In my head. ohhh, In my head..._

_Some dames know all the right things to say, oh ohh_

_When it comes down to it, its all just a game._

_Instead of talking let me demonstrate. ohhh_

_Get down to business, and skip foreplay._

_Just leave with me now. Say the word and we'll go._

_I'll be your teacher, I'll show you the ropes._

_You'll see a side of love you've never known_

_I can see it going down, going down._

_In my head I see you all over me_

_In my head you fulfill my fantasy_

_In my head you be dreaming of me_

_In my head, its going down_

_In my head, its going down _

_In my head. ooo, In my head._

Cam noticed Booth's forlorn look and who it was aimed at.

"Hey, big man. You okay?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, why would you ask that Cam?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because we're supposed to be celebrating and you look like you're at a funeral."

"I'm fine."

"Booth, that witch of an ex-wife might not have let me see you for years, but I can still read you like a book."

Booth gave her a soft smile, "You always were an observant kid."

"That's right and do you remember what happened when you tried to keep secrets from me?"

"You always found a way to get them out of me. It really is a shame you aren't a cop."

"That's life." she shrugged, "So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

"Cam, if you're going to make threats you should at least make them believable,"

Cam moved one of her legs so it was in between his, "Oh really? Do you remember that move you taught me before I started High School?"

"Cam,,, that was in case a guy wanted to take advantage of you." Booth said nervously, "You wouldn't really kick me like that, would you?"

"If you tell me you won't have to risk it."

"Fine" He paused, still reluctant to talk about it. That was okay, Cam knew him and she knew he'd spill soon enough, "I'm jealous."

"Of who?"

"Bones."

"What?" Now Cam was really confused. She thought he was jealous of Sully and Temperance.

"You know," he spun them around slowly so she could see and tilted his head towards them, "Temperance."

"Why'd ya say bones for?"

"Oh sorry, that's what I call her."

"Cause she's got such lovely bone structure?" Cam crinkled her brow in confusion.

"No! Cause she works with bones."

"Yeah, that makes more sense." Cam gave him a break, with Booth you had to coax stuff out of him, "Anyway, back to the issue at hand. Why are you jealous?"

"I like her, I guess."

"You like her, or you're head over heels for her?"

"I don't know."

"Well, either way, you should ask her out."

"You want me to steal her away from Sully? I can't do that, as much as he's been annoying me lately, we're friends and I thought you two were friends too."

"Of course he's my friend. You both are. But you can still ask her out. They've only been on one date, its not exactly a betrayal of friendship."

"I don't know, it still doesn't sound right to me."

"Booth, we couldn't talk during your marriage. But I still know how bad it was. You deserve some happiness. That's all I want for you. Look, I'm not saying that she's the love of your life, but you like her and from what I've seen she's a good woman, which given your record is rare. So if you like her and I think she's good for you than you should go for it."

"Given my record? May I remind you that your big sister is on that list."

"I rest my case."

"Whoa! Where's the sisterly affection?"

"Booth, you have a brother, you know how it is. Besides, I'm not being mean. She's settled down now and its good for her, but she wasn't good for you. That's all I'm saying."

"So you're saying that when you told me to stop going out with Felecia, you were really looking out for me and it wasn't the crush you had on me talking?" He tilted her chin up with his hands, forcing her to look him in the eye.

Cam blushed brick-red, but she wouldn't let him have the last word. "Forget about the crush!" She pulled his hand off her chin, "Wasn't I right in the end? With Felecia, Karen, Rebecca, should I go on?"

"No no. Please no! Alright, I bow to your superior knowledge when it comes to dames."

"That's right, buster and don't you forget it! So ask her out and remember I just want you to be happy." she whispered in his ear as the song ended.

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**The song is "In my Head" by Jason Darulo.**


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: Thanks for all the comments guys. Hope you like this chapter. **

Chapter 23

Compared to the rest of the non-couples, Booth and Cam looked like they were in love. Zack was sputtering and gasping as he'd just spent the last few minutes getting the air squeezed out of him by Daisy. Both Caroline and Hodgins were sitting down trying to rub feeling back into their toes after the toe stomping dance they'd just had. Cam left Booth alone with his thoughts for awhile and danced with some other men, unfortunately, she hadn't counted on Daisy and Caroline getting bored and leaving the boys alone at the table.

"I'm telling you guys, we got to enjoy our freedom while we can." insisted Hodgins, "Especially you, Booth. I mean you're finally out on parole! And what does a guy do when he's out on parole?"

"He would do everything he could to stay free. Logically, that means avoiding trouble."

"You got the staying free part, right Zacky. But getting in trouble is half the fun."

"That makes no sense. To avoid incarceration, you must avoid placing yourself in criminal situations."

"I don't think he understands your analogy, Hodgins."

"Let me start over. What we've got to do is get a new dame every night. You can't let one latch onto you. Right, Booth?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Nah, I'm serious here Booth. Besides when she gave you Parker, name one time that Rebecca made you happy."

Booth didn't bother answering.

"Exactly! They just latch onto you and leech off your money. Broads are trouble, pure and simple. But what's a man to do? A man can't live on bread alone."

"Hodgins, are you drunk?" asked Zack.

"I work for the United States Government! Of course not! I'm insulted that you would even suggest such a thing!"

"You are sort of rambling. Are you sure you're okay, Hodgins?"

"Booth, I promise you. I'm fine. I've just been doing some thinking. It is what I do best. Look at the facts, Booth. Women have brought you nothing but trouble. So why get tangled up with them again?"

"Cause I'm a man."

"Right! We can't avoid them, its Biology! But your body doesn't tell you to marry them, you can have a little fun with them."

"That doesn't sound right to me, Hodgins."

"Booth, there are plenty of women out there who would love to make whoopee with you. No strings attached! So why disappoint them, and yourself? Let go of your Catholic guilt! Its the 30s!"

As soon as Cam saw them alone, she knew there was trouble and when the song ended headed back to the table.

"Cam don't you think I'm right that people should just have fun and forget about that true love bullshit? I keep trying to convince Zack and Booth here to join me and embrace their freedom as bachelors!"

"Hodgins, I think that blonde is trying to get your attention."

Hodgins looked around the club, searching for the blonde. "Where?"

"Right there." Cam vaguely pointed to a group of blondes on the other side of the room. "Just go over there, already. She might leave soon and you'll have missed your chance."

Hodgins took her advice and went off in search of the blonde, leaving his bemused friends behind.

"Why is he acting like an idiot college boy?"

Booth shrugged, "Beats me."

"I think he's upset because Angela is dancing with Booth's brother."

"Poor bastard!" said a sympathetic Booth.

* * *

Zack had enough celebrating for one night and decided to go home early. Hodgins was still preoccupied with the blondes, while Angela continued to dance the night away with Jared. Cam decided now was a good time for that talk she needed to have with Temperance and efficiently herded her to the ladies' room, leaving Sully and Booth alone for the first time all night.

"Booth, I want to ask you something."

"Okay, shoot."

"Do you have any advice for me about Temperance?"

"What? I barely know her! Why would you ask me that?"

"Women are all over you. Its always been like that, ever since high school at least. I figured you'd have some advice."

"Sully, I'm here because I'm celebrating my divorce. Do ya really think I'm the guy to be asking advice?"

"I guess. I just. I really like this girl, Booth."

"Yeah, I can see that, Sully. Its been pretty obvious all week."

Sully had the grace to look sheepish, "Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I've just been really nervous. I was trying to impress her, but now I think I was just bothersome."

"Well, maybe to me, but she seems to like you just fine."

"I was really stupid this week though. I kept bragging about the Chicago case. I feel like an idiot! I'm really sorry Booth, I shoulda known better. Its just that she's so smart and beautiful. Not just on the outside, I mean, you could tell there's something special about her, even just knowing her for a few days."

"Don't worry about it Sully. We all do stuff for the girl."

They sat in silence for a few moments, not an awkward silence, but more like a "we're good" silence. Sully suddenly remembered something Cam had said.

"Hey Booth, why did Cam say you and Temperance were investigating a murder together?"

Booth didn't feel like bringing up the entire story, "Cullen's punishing both of us by sending her out in the field with me. She's my note-taker. Don't worry, though, I won't let anything happen to her."

"I know that. Even if you weren't a fed, you'd jump in front of a speeding bullet for a friend. I'd trust you with my life."

Meanwhile, Temperance was in the ladies' room with Cam, wondering why Cam needed her help in there. To Temperance's surprise, Cam didn't move away from the sinks.

"Don't you need to use the toilet?"

"Not really. What I really need is to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Sully and Booth."

"What about them?"

"Let's start this off simple."

Temperance suddenly felt like she was in an interrogation room back at the DOJ rather than the bathroom at a jazz club.

"What do you think about Booth?"

"He's a good boss, does his job well. He's old fashioned when it comes to women. From what I've seen he's the family type, although he's got a bitch of an ex-wife."

Cam chuckled, "Tell me about it."

"She was waiting for him outside his office, on a jealous rampage. She was so jealous she forgot that her original purpose in coming was to complain that she couldn't visit Parker. She was completely irrational and making crude comments. Simply because she saw us kis..."

"She saw you what?"

"Nothing."

Cam very much doubted it was nothing, in fact she had a hunch it was kissing. Time to check out the competition.

"How's your date with Sully going?"

"Good."

"Just good? Anything else you might want to add?"

"No."

"How well do you like Sully?"

"I like him a lot. He's nice, funny... Wait! How is it any of your business how my date with Sully's going? Or how much I like him?"

Cam turned to the mirror and fixed invisible flaws with her make-up. "I was just trying to have some girl talk with you."

This time it was Temperance's turn to be skeptical. Cam saw she didn't buy it, so she decided to add a partial truth.

"Plus, Sully's my friend ya know? Ever since High School I meet all his girlfriends, old habits die hard I guess."

"So you thought that you would see if I was good enough for him?"

"No!" _Crap! _she thought, _I'm really mucking this up! _"No, its not that! I just..." Cam paused for a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order. "Its not that I think you're not good enough for him. Its just the way I am with them."

"Who's them?"

"Booth, Sully, and Jared if he'd let me. Its almost like they're my best friends and my brothers at the same time. I give them advice on girls, and sometimes they take it. Although, they should listen to me all the time, as I'm never wrong."

"So where were you when Booth married Rebecca?"

"Ugh! Don't remind me! By the time I met her and realized she was no good, Booth was in too deep."

"Anthropologically, you consider them yours and so you feel the need to approve of their choices in mates."

"Um, I guess so?"

At that moment, Angela burst into the bathroom. "Oh! There you are sweetie! Sully's looking for you."

"Thanks Angela." Temperance left the bathroom, leaving a disappointed Cam behind. She had failed to find out how interested Temperance was in either Sully or Booth! Jeez, no wonder she wasn't a cop!


	24. Chapter 24

**AN: Sorry if I took too long. I've just had one of those weekends where you were busy all weekend but you don't really remember what you did. So please tell me honestly what you think of this chapter, I really do need the constructive criticism. Thanks for reading.**

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Chapter 24

Angela and Temperance made their way back to the table.

"So what were you and Cam talking about in the john?"

"We weren't talking about any John."

"No sweetie. I mean what were you two talking about in the bathroom?"

"Oh! Well, she said it was just girl talk, but I have my doubts."

"What do you mean?"

"She said she wanted to talk to me about Booth and Sully. Is that normal for girl talk?"

"Honey, girl talk is really talking about men. So yeah, I'm gonna go with normal."

"Oh, okay."

They found Booth and Sully at the table talking and laughing.

"Are you ready to go Tempe?"

"Sure."

Cam had been just a little behind Temperance and Angela. "Actually, if Temperance doesn't mind, I've been meaning to drag you out for a dance. You owe me one from Felecia's wedding, remember?"

Sully blushed a little, as he looked at Temperance.

"No, that's okay, enjoy your dance with Cam."

"I feel bad just leaving you like that." Sully thought for a second. "I know!" he exclaimed as he turned to Booth. "Do me a favor and dance with Tempe. I wouldn't want anyone stealing my date."

"Sure, Sully. That is, if Bones doesn't mind dancing with me."

Angela and Sully turned to her at the mention of Booth's nickname for her. Temperance's face felt a little warm as she answered, "No, I don't mind."

Onstage, the piano player began singing, it was a fast song. Which served Booth well as it meant less contact and fewer thoughts he'd have to confess to Father Mulcahy.

I say hey,

I be gone today

but I'll be back around the way

Seems like everywhere I go

the more I see the less I know

But I know one thing, that I love you

I love you, I love you, I love you

I've been a lot of places all around the way

I've seen a lot of joy and I've seen a lot of pain

But I don't want to write a love song for the world

I just want to write a song about a boy and a girl

Booth noticed Bones sneaking glances at Sully and Cam.

"Don't worry, Bones."

"I'm not worried."

"Uh huh, well if you were the worrying type, I'd tell you there's nothing to be worried about. Cam is like a little sister to him."

"And to you?"

"Yeah, me too."

"How did you all meet."

"We all lived in the same neighborhood."

"But Cam is younger than both of you, how did you become friends with her?"

"We both dated her sister Felecia, so we saw Cam as our little sister too."

Temperance was trying to dance at the same time she was lost in thought. Dancing was a hard earned skill for her, that meant that her aptitude for it suffered when her mind was so distracted. Booth was quick enough to avoid some of her more dangerous moves.

Now I'm not a highly metaphysical man

But I know that when the stars are aligned you can

bump into a person in the middle of the road

Look into their eyes and you suddenly know

Swaying in the dance hall, moving with you

Dancing in the night in the middle of June

My momma told me don't lose you

Cause the best thing I had was you

"Wait, you both dated her sister. At the same time?"

"Bones, that's a personal question that I'm not willing to answer without something in return."

"What?"

"I'll tell you the story if you promise to tell me a similar one, okay?"

"It's a deal."

Booth told her how he and Sully had both been courting Felecia. Sully and Booth had become friends, neither one knowing that the other was the competition. When they found out the truth, their friendship came to blows. After they couldn't beat each other anymore, they insisted that Felecia choose, she did, and she chose someone else. They eventually got over it and made up, promising not to let a dame get in between them again.

Temperance told him about a boyfriend named Pete. One day, Temperance had come home from school to find a note from Pete in her mailbox. Apparently, Pete had met the love of his life, and her name was Myka. They married and moved to South Dakota for work. That was last she'd heard of Pete.

I say hey,

I be gone today

but I'll be back around the way

Seems like everywhere I go

the more I see the less I know

But I know one thing, that I love you

I love you, I love you, I love you


	25. Chapter 25

**AN: Hey my dears, in answer to your comments, yes it was an allusion to Warehouse. I got sucked in this summer because of the Bones connection but it's an awesome show in its own right. Here's the next chapter, feels like I haven't posted in forever, things have been busy. Thanks for all the comments and I hope you enjoy.**

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* * *

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Chapter 25

When they were done dancing, Sully and Temperance left on the next stage of their date, leaving Angela alone until Cam joined her.

"Where is everyone?"

"Oh, well. Sully took Temperance somewhere, he said it was a surprise. Hodgins is flirting with the Peroxide Clique. Meanwhile, Booth and Jared got roped into dancing with Caroline and Daisy."

"So I guess it's just us girls for now."

Angela gave Cam a smile that boded ill, "Yep, just us girls."

* * *

After the enlightening "girl talk" she'd had with Cam, Angela decided it was time to go straight to the horse's mouth. It was all very well to hear it from Cam that Booth fancied Bren but she needed to make sure. There was no room for any schoolyard bullshit here. She efficiently cut in, leaving Caroline disappointed for the second time that night.

"Having fun?"

"I actually am. This was a good idea you had."

"All my ideas are good ideas. You'll learn that soon enough, Studly."

Booth chuckled.

"So, how do you like Bren?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know. As a secretary."

"Oh, yeah, she's a good worker." Booth was still confused by the line of questioning.

"Good, good." Angela was trying to act nonchalant, "So what do you think about her and Sully."

"You don't have to worry about Bones. Sully's a good guy."

"Did you just call her Bones?"

"Yeah, its my nickname for her. You know, cause she wants to be a Forensic Anthropologist. I don't think I've ever met a woman, with so much passion."

"Uh huh." A sly smile spread across Angela's face. _The special nickname is a good sign. not to mention the passion. _

Booth suddenly felt uncomfortable, he glanced at his watch. "You know what Ang? I promised my kid I'd take him to the Phillies-Yankees game tomorrow. I got to go home and get some sleep."

"Sure, Studly." _Booth's cute when he's flustered. He definitely likes Bren. _She thought as she watched Booth and Cam leave the club.

Angela wanted to be there when Bren got home so she'd get all the details about the rest of the date with Sully. Unfortunately, that meant cutting her night short with Jared. If Jared took her home there wouldn't be any talking going on. She inwardly sighed, a matchmaker's job was never done. Time to extract Hodgins from the Swede Impersonators' League.

Hodgins was dancing with a blonde named Marjorie when Angela cut in.

"Hey! What was that about? We were dancing."

"Well, I needed some way to talk to you and this seemed the easiest way without having to face down all of your harem."

"What do you need to talk to me about?"

Angela put on her sweetest smile, "I want to go home, and you're my ride."

"Why don't you ask Jared?"

"You brought me, you take me home."

"Fine, let's get our coats."

* * *

There was silence in the car as they were driving through the streets of D.C. Angela was thinking about the Sully/Brennan/Booth issue while Hodgins was worrying about Angela. He hadn't known her long but from what he knew, she wasn't the type to stay quiet long.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, why would you ask that?"

"You're oddly quiet."

"Just thinking."

"What's the real reason you didn't want Jared to drive you home?"

"Oh look, there's a Vaudeville troupe coming to town next week."

"That was an obvious subject change. Did he try to take advantage of you? Cause if he did I'll kick his ass for you."

Angela looked at him in disbelief.

"Okay well, I'll tell Booth and he'll help me, but still."

Angela laughed, "It isn't that, it's just that I didn't expect you to offer to defend my honor."

"No! See I was just... I mean...I just wanted to...No, I thought maybe you..."

"Calm down, I won't destroy your reputation as a ladies man. Jared has nothing to do with my silence, so don't worry. I was just thinking."

"Well, what were you thinking about? I'm good at thinking."

"I was thinking about Booth."

"Never mind! Not my kind of thinking at all."

"Not for me! For Bren."

"I'd stay out of those waters, if I were you. Booth isn't the type to tolerate people interfering in his life."

"It's not interfering, sometimes people just need a little push."

"Yeah, but your friend was out on a date with Sully."

"Don't get me wrong, I like Sully, I just have this feeling about Booth and Bren."

They were pulling up to Angela's apartment building, "What feeling?"

"Well, for instance Booth and Brennan sounds better than Sullivan and Brennan. Don't you think?"

"So you're going to get them together solely on the basis of their names sounding better together? What if they get married? Temperance Sullivan sounds better than Temperance Booth."

Angela threw up her hands in frustration, "Ugh! You just don't get it." and before Hodgins could do anything, she was climbing up the steps to her building.

Hodgins stayed until he saw the light turn on in her apartment,

"I understand better than you think." and he drove away.

* * *

Temperance let herself quietly into the apartment not wanting to wake Angela. But a voice from the couch startled her.

"Do you have any idea what time it is! Just where have you been, young lady?" She jumped guiltily, turning around to face whoever was on the couch.

"Angela!"

Angela giggled, "Oh sweetie, you should have seen your face!"

"Don't do that again! What are you doing on the couch anyway?"

"I was just waiting up to hear about your date with Sully. I wasn't expecting to fall asleep waiting for you, it's almost five o' clock! I'd ask you if you had fun, but from the time and the look of your hair, I'd say that's a stupid question."

"It's not what you think!"

"What do I think?"

"You think that Sully and I engaged in coitus."

"Sweetie, either it was whoopee or making love. Don't call it coitus."

"Regardless of the term, it didn't happen. He took me to the park where they're building the Jefferson Memorial and we star-gazed."

"Uh-huh. Is that what you did? So then why does your hair look like that?"

"He brought a blanket to lay on. All we did is look at the constellations and talk. He's very knowledgeable about the stars."

"All right, I'll believe you. So what did you two talk about?"

"That is between me and Sully." Temperance said in that final tone she used whenever someone was asking questions about her past.

"Okay. So I'm guessing another date is imminent?"

The smile came back to her face, "We're going out tonight. He's taking me to..." Temperance was so tired, she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Go to sleep, sweetie. I don't think you've ever been out this late."

"Ang, I used to study this late."

"Sure, but going to school with bags under your eyes is a little different than going on a date with them."

"Perhaps you're right." Temperance started walking to her bedroom.

"Good night, sweetie."

"It's morning."

"Just go to sleep."

Once the door to her room closed, Angela made her way to her own room. Thinking that as much as she felt she was right about Booth and Bren, maybe she should let this run its course. Her friend was happy and who was she to throw a wrench into things? Fate could handle its own business.

Fin

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**AN: Don't worry this isn't the end of Booth and Brennan's adventures in the 30s. You guys remember when I said that i was a beginner at this? Well, this story was supposed to be more like a prequel or a setup for something more. It went out of my hands and turned into 25 chapters and since I don't think you should spend 25 chapters of a fic setting things up, I started a new Word document and gave my second story a different title. The Love Story in the Thirties is how Booth and Brennan fall in love. It's a year later, and Sully and Brennan have been dating all this time and Booth and Brennan are friends**. **So how do they end up together? Well, it all starts when Booth and Sully are called in as backup in the Dillinger case. Hope you guys stick with me and thanks for all the patience and comments. 3**


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